Rugby - Minety RFC (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Rugby - Minety RFC

Chippenham 2nd XV 10pts - Minety 1st XV 27pts

A confident and highly competent team performance from Minety saw them through to a comfortable victory in this friendly fixture away against Chippenham seconds. The home team came back into the game in the second half, but Minety finished strongly, ending with a tally of four tries to only one from their hosts.

Adopting their customary no-nonsense approach, the Minety forwards soon imposed themselves on the game. The front row combination of Richard Trevaskis, Andy Peirce and Andy Moran proved particularly effective, while flanker Charlie Gawthropp jumped authoritatively in the lineout, securing good possession from Minety's throw-ins and frequently pilfering Chippenham's ball.

Making good use of the steady supply of ball, fly-half Adrian Taylor ran in the first try for his team, and although fullback Tim Vaughan missed with the conversion attempt, he was soon on the score sheet with a well-struck penalty goal.

Minety's second try came from a five metre scrum. Once the ball was safely at number 8 Keith Arrell's feet, the pack drove forward, shunting their opponents back towards their own line. A slight wheel of the scrum, and then Arrell was away, ball in hand, crashing through to score despite the despairing grabs of three defenders. Vaughan then kicked the conversion.

Under pressure again, Chippenham attempted to breakout from their own 22, but some thumping tackles from the visitors ensured that the move broke down. First to the breakdown, Minety won turnover ball, which scrumhalf Andy Brown promptly chipped over the defenders' heads for his three-quarters to chase. The defenders failed to gather cleanly, but centre Simon Barrett made no mistake, plucking the ball out of the air and touching down for Minety's third try of the game.

Ahead by 20 points, Minety were guilty of taking their foot off the gas after the interval and were punished first by a penalty goal, and then by a penalty try, awarded when they failed to retreat 10 metres from a penalty kick. A successful conversion by the home team brought the score to 10-20.

Stung back into action, Minety then dominated for the rest of the game and should have scored after an excellent counter-attacking run by Vaughan took the ball right to Chippenham's try line. But the supporting winger failed to hold onto the pass, and the opportunity went begging.

The let-off for Chippenham proved only temporary, however. Arrell made another sniping run from the base of the ensuing five metre scrum, and when he was held up, the ball was recycled via Brown to James Tweedale, on at flyhalf in place of Taylor. All Tweedale had to do was catch the ball and fall over the line for the try, a feat which he accomplished with his usual aplomb, before smoothly adding a conversion to make it 10-27 at the final whistle.

This was the second time that Minety have beaten Chippenham seconds this season. This Saturday, Minety return to league action with a home fixture against Trowbridge. It's a "must win" game for Minety, against a team five places above them in the table.