Minety are gradually finding their way at a higher level of rugby (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Minety are gradually finding their way at a higher level of rugby

AFTER four games, Minety have yet to register a first win at Southern Counties level following an 8-25 defeat last weekend.

That said, a sterling performance in Saturday's thoroughly entertaining game away to second-placed Bournemouth suggests that they might well be moving in the right direction.

A trip down to the coast was a long and tedious one for Minety, not helped by roadworks and extensive diversions at the Bournemouth end of the journey.

Nevertheless, they looked sharp on the field and not at all over-awed either by their opponents' reputation or the superb facilities.

The hosts, for their part, started impressively and got the scoreboard moving after ten minutes with a try in the left-hand corner of the field.

This came from a 40-metre charge up the touchline by a concerted mass of forwards and backs.

Using quick, short passes to shift the point of attack, Bournemouth eluded the initial cover and, when Minety did manage to tackle the man in possession, the home pack were right on hand to recycle the ball and get things moving again until the try was finally scored.

Ten minutes later and the Seasiders were back in scoring action again, this time counter-attacking from deep and running in a try under the posts.

A successful conversion kick made it 12-nil in their favour, but from that point on, Minety began to get back into the game.

Awarded a penalty on 25 minutes, the visitors were disappointed to see the 40-metre kick pass just the bar.

A scything run from half-way subsequently took the Minety three-quarters to within a few metres of their opponents' try-line before a last-ditch tackle by the Bournemouth full-back snuffed out the attack.

The visitors kept up the pressure until the half-time whistle brought a temporary halt to operations.

Minety began the second half where they left off the first, and a splendid counter-attacking run by full-back Ruben Saunders set the tone for what was to follow.

Under pressure, Bourne-mouth went offside on their own 22-metre line and Minety duly translated the resulting penalty into their first three points.

Coming back at their opponents from the restart, the visitors were eventually rewarded with another penalty which this time they opted to kick into touch deep in the home half.

Setting up their favourite catch-and-drive move from the resulting lineout, the Minety pack drove infield at an angle, creating space on the blind side and tying in opponents as they edged on towards the try-line.

When the move was finally brought to a halt, scrum-half James Tweedale snatched the ball and fed flanker Max Smith who sprinted up the short side.

Despite the two Bournemouth players clinging on to him, he had the speed and strength to stagger over the line for a try in the right-hand corner.

At this point, mid-way through the second half and with the score at 12-8, Minety were right back in contention.

But an over-eager break shortly after the restart put the visitors offside and gifted the home team a penalty kick slap bang in front of their opponents' posts.

The goal went over, and with it the initiative seemed to pass back to Bournemouth.

Intercepting a throw in by Minety, the home side rapidly moved the ball to the opposite side of the field where they successfully created an overlap for their winger to exploit and score in the right-hand corner.

The final blow came in the dying minutes when Bournemouth successfully kept the ball alive through a long period of broken play before scoring in the left-hand corner of the field.

In a post-match comment, coach Andy Ward told his team: "All you need is a little more self-belief and slightly better fitness, and you'll win these games."