Grove avenged last season's Southern Counties promotion play-off defeat by Salisbury with a 31-9 home victory over the South West Division 2 East side in a friendly.

Salisbury went ahead from an early penalty, but a run from flanker Mike Turner allowed fly half Ben Dean to cross for a try, which full back Nick Sevier converted to make it 7-3 at the break.

At the start of the second half, two Salisbury penalties saw them go 9-7 up, but Grove were in control for the rest of the game.

Wing Gareth Hudson and centre Ali James went over for tries in the corner, and scrum half Dean Hammett stretched the lead with a brilliant dummy and solo run, Sevier converting to make it 24-9.

The Grove pressure was unrelenting, and the Salisbury defence cracked when Turner's drive put lock Steve Maryon in for the final try, which was converted by Sevier.