Minety RFC beat Supermarine to get their season back on track (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Minety RFC beat Supermarine to get their season back on track

A PASSIONATE performance by visitors Supermarine failed to overcome their duck against the first team of Minety RFC, who got their season back on track with a resolute display of forward power and tough-minded defence.

Supermarine scored an excellent first-half try through winger Marvin Wodehouse, but Minety responded with an even better one, adding three penalty goals to secure their first league win since Christmas.

An opening period of attacking pressure by the home team finally saw reward when fly-half James Tweedale slotted a penalty goal after ten minutes.

Supermarine's reply was impressive. Winning ball against the head on their own ten-metre line, they beat the first line of defence to create a one man overlap on the left flank.

A well-timed pass then set Wodehouse on his way down the touchline and he beat all comers before crossing the try line and rounding back to touch down under the posts.

Scrum-half Dan Milne duly posted the easy conversion to extend the visitors, lead. It was the last time they were to score.

Minety were soon pressing their opponents' line once more and a second penalty goal from Tweedale closed the gap between the sides to a single point.

The subsequent restart was to prove decisive. Minety secured the ball and then set up a passing move that seemed to involve the whole team in a concerted charge up the field.

Luke Huckin made a decisive run upfield and the ball was recycled and passed through several hands to No 8 Keith Arrell, who proceeded to storm up the centre of the pitch.

When he was brought down, he had released to the waiting backs who snapped it out to the right wing.

A last-ditch tackle by Super-marine seemed to have saved the day, but the ball was flicked out to the waiting hands of Tweedale, who drove over for the score.

The second-half consisted of a frenzied battle for supremacy as Minety constantly threatened the visitors, line but the Supermarine defence somehow stayed firm.

The home team's back row of Arrell plus Mark Holdsworth and Charlie Gawthropp were in terrific form, as was the Supermarine No 8, surely their man of the match.

In the end, something had to give. When Supermarine were caught dragging down the opposing jumper in the air at a lineout, Tweedale was on hand to kick his third penalty goal to put the game beyond the reach of their rivals.

That still left a final five minutes of fierce contest as a keen Supermarine side attempted to carve out a draw,but Minety held firm for a seven-point victory.