Minety RFC defeat keen rivals by ten points to five (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Minety RFC defeat keen rivals by ten points to five

A STRING of injuries and a second-half comeback by Cooper Avon Tyres were not enough to dislodge Minety's defiant grip on last Saturday's Dorset & Wilts Division One encounter.

Two tries to the good at the interval, they grimly hung on for the win, defending stoutly and tackling their Melksham opponents to a standstill.

Having already been forced by a spate of injuries to field a three-quarter line consisting entirely of converted forwards, and missing their regular hooker and club captain Dave Pierce, Minety's problems only deepened when tighthead prop Andy Hurley damaged his ribs in the opening minutes of the game.

He was forced to leave the field and lock Craig Smith gamely stepped up to take his place in the front row.

Despite these re-adjustments, the Minety pack was soon making its presence felt.

A surging forward drive took the ball to within five metres of the Melksham line, where the visitors set up a rolling maul to send lock Damon Smith over for the opening try of the game.

A long period of pressure from Minety then pinned their rivals back into their own half without leading to any further score.

Then a catch-and-drive move from a five-metre lineout ended in a ruck just short of the home side's try line.

Minety recycled the ball and fed it out to fly-half James Tweedale who, after feinting to go open, doubled back to attack the blindside flank.

Delaying his pass until the defence were committed to tackling him, he released veteran forward Keith Arrell, who burrowed past the remaining defender to score in the corner.

Awarded a penalty shortly after the interval, Cooper Avon Tyres struck back with a powerful run from teenage winger Danny Wells, who marked his first-team debut with an excellent try in the left-hand corner.

An injury to centre Paul Harrington meant that Minety had to play their last remaining substitute, coach Andy Ward, who joined the pack while No 8 Mark Holdsworth moved out to the three-quarters.

After that, although the home side continued to run the ball whenever they had possession, they could find no way through Minety's stalwart defence.

For their part, Minety attempted to score with penalty and drop-goal attempts, but none were successful and, as tension grew, both sides had players sin-binned.

The game ended with the visitors back on the attack and still defiantly holding a 10 points to five lead.

This Saturday Minety are due to entertain Bath side Old Sulians in the second round of the Powergen Junior Vase.