Sterling display earns Minety RFC a league point (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Sterling display earns Minety RFC a league point

AN outstanding display of forward power and perseverance helped Minety frustrate their opponents and claw their way to a league point in this hugely entertaining encounter with a 32-all draw.

Over and again, Bradford on Avon would take the lead through the efforts of their free-running backs, but each time Minety would strike back, finally clinching the result with the very last kick of the game.

For the second week running, Minety leaked a try in the opening minutes on Saturday.

Bradford gathered from the kick-off and kicked it back deep into their rivals' half.

When the full-back failed to gather cleanly, the visitors were swift to follow up, gain control and run in a try which a successful conversion kick soon turned into a seven-point lead.

With much calm, Minety struck back. The forwards created a rolling maul and drove back their rivals a full 20 metres before prop Andy Hurley grounded the ball for the try.

James Tweedale restored parity with a well-struck conversion, this opening exchange setting the pattern for the rest of the game.

Displaying fine handling skills and commendable pace, Bradford soon scored again when their left winger outpaced all comers to touch down for an unconverted try.

After a failed penalty goal attempt, they then went on to score their best try of the game.

After their outside-centre dummied and weaved his way from a crowded midfield out on to the wing, he jinked through for another unconverted try.

That made it 7-17 in Bradford's favour, but Minety came storming back with a strike against the head at a critical scrum five metres off the visitors' line.

Scrum-half Andy Brown took the ball blind and committed the winger before releasing to Twee-dale who darted over to score.

A subsequent upfield drive by the home pack came to grief when they released possession to the backs and the spilled ball snapped up by Bradford.

Once again, their runners outpaced the defence to run in a try The conversion attempt was successful.

But Minety had the final word in the half, Tweedale slotting a conversion to make it 15-24 at the interval.

With the slope in their favour in the second half, the Minety pack soon closed the gap.

In another pushover score, lock Damon Smith claimed the try this time. Tweedale's conversion kick reduced the gap until a penalty goal to the visitors extended their lead to 22-27.

Following the sin-binning of the Bradford No 7, Minety exerted further pressure and were rewarded when Tweedale turned their territorial advantage into points with a snap drop-goal.

Restored to 15 men, Bradford seemed to have won the game when, against the run of play, they gained possession on their own 22.

They proceeded to sweep up the right flank, eluding the defence to score their fifth try of the game, but the conversion kick went wide.

With the clock ticking down and a seven-point gap to make up, the Minety pack seized the game by the scruff of the neck.

After rolling back their rivals a full 40 metres, they touched down under the posts for what seemed a perfect forwards' try.

Unable to determine who had control of the ball, the referee was unable to give the score and awarded a five-metre scrum.

With no time left, Minety won the ball and No 8 Mark Holdsworth picked up and drove for the line, burrowing through Bradford's despairing tackles to touch down for a try.

The game hung on Tweedale's conversion kick, but he struck it straight and true.

For no sooner had the ball gone sailing over the bar, the whistle brought a well contested game to a finish with the sides level at 32 points apiece.