Devizes Town slipped to their second defeat in four days as they were thrashed 3-0 at Welton Rovers on Tuesday night.

Brad Newman's own goal, David Pearse's header and Dean Evans' close range finish handed Rovers victory in a rampant seven minute spell before the break.

Town, who were hammered 4-0 by runaway leaders Truro on Saturday, actually started brightly but they were left to rue Kris Beasley's 12th minute penalty miss while the game was still goalless.

Beasley was brought down in the box by Welton goalkeeper Tristan Westlake as he tried to round him after seizing upon Leigh White's poor back-pass, but Westlake dived low to his right to save the resulting spot-kick.

Lee McMullan lashed a 16-yard snap-shot against the crossbar and Beasley had a goal-bound header cleared off the line by White as Devizes dominated the first quarter of an hour.

But they were predictably made to pay for their misses when Newman's own goal put Rovers 1-0 up in the 29th minute.

Newman looked to have blocked Dean Evans' shot after Town keeper Owen Dunn could only parry Pearse's low cross, but the full-back panicked with his second touch as the ball bounced horribly off his leg and into the net from a yard.

Pearse doubled Welton's lead just a minute later when he rose unchallenged at the far post to thump home a powerful header from Craig Coles' flicked-on corner.

And Evans sealed the win in the 36th minute when he converted Mark Rowlands' low cross from eight yards after the Devizes defence had been caught out by a quick free-kick.

Town huffed and puffed after the break but they created precious little until Daniel Swan missed an open goal at the death when he fired wide from 16 yards, after keeper Westlake had let the ball slip from his grasp.

by JON BOYLE