Minety RFC hopes go whistling in the wind (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Minety RFC hopes go whistling in the wind

AFTER a promising first period, in which they scored two tries, Minety were unable to cope in the second half against a combination of a strengthening wind, steep slope and a powerful Trowbridge pack.

Playing downhill at the start on Saturday, Minety opened the scoring after ten minutes in the Southern Counties South encounter with a slick-handling move among the backs that ended with a try for skipper and centre Luke Huckin. Ryan Dowling kicked the conversion.

Trowbridge got on to the score-sheet ten minutes later with a try from their forwards, mauling over the line from short-range following a lineout.

But their hosts responded with a try from a similar catch-and-drive move five minutes later. Minety's scorer was hooker Andy Moran.

With the slope now to their advantage, the visitors dominated the second half of the game, pinning Minety back into their own half.

The wind got up, blowing straight down a steep gradient at the Nigel Bishop Memorial Ground and gusting strongly enough to blow some of Minety's attempted clearance kicks back over the kicker's head.

Heavy conditions and a slippery ball made handling difficult, but despite Minety's stalwart tackling, the Trowbridge pack scored three short-range tries, two of which were converted, for a 24-12 win.

This Saturday, Minety firsts visit Dorchester for a league game while the seconds will travel to Devizes III for a Dorset and Wilts Division 2 North fixture.