ROYAL Wootton Bassett came from nine points down to beat Okehampton 24-22 in South West Premier on Saturday.

The victory was an important one for the Wiltshire side as it lifted Alan Low’s men up to 10th and away from the relegation battlers in the 14-team league.

Bassett started well against the Devon club and went ahead through a Troy Cusack penalty after just four minutes. It would soon get even better for the hosts as debutant scrum-half Owain Hire went on a powerful run before finishing in the corner to extend Bassett’s lead to 10.

The early barrage sparked Okehampton into life, and they soon responded when a momentous drive by the forwards led to a converted try.

After a foray into the Okehampton half saw Bassett awarded a penalty, full back Tom Fieldsend converted to make it 13-8 in the host’s favour.

Okehampton dominated for the rest of the half and were rewarded shortly before the interval when another forward charge saw a converted try.

With Bassett trailing for the first time in the game, Low’s men needed a fast start, but they didn’t get it as Okehampton started the second half as they ended the first.

A penalty helped the visitors move four in front, and that lead was soon nine after Okehampton scored an unconverted try.

It appeared as though the game might get away from Bassett as the visitors held all of the momentum, but the home side fought back gradually before the tide really turned late on.

As Okehampton tired and ill-discipline crept in via two yellow cards, Fieldsend added another penalty before replacement winger James Firth did really well to go over in the corner for the unconverted try.

And with five minutes remaining, the comeback was completed when Fieldsend kept his nerve to send the ball between the uprights from a penalty.

Meanwhile, in South West One East, Marlborough returned to winning ways as they beat Windsor 27-15 on the road.

Chippenham went down 25-22 away at Buckingham, and Trowbridge lost 26-33 at home to Oxford Harlequins.

In Southern Counties South, Corsham beat Yeovil 33-26, while Devizes surged past Combe Down by 26-3.