Gloucester Div Two

Minchinhampton 20

Kingswood 3

A SOLID defensive display from the hosts proved key as Minchinhampton beat Bristol side Kingswood to gain their first win of 2017.

The two sides had fought out a close encounter earlier in the season and this game was equally well contested, despite the visitors propping up the Gloucester Two table.

Minch were put on the back foot early, being pushed back to 15 metres out from their own try line.

After a quarter of an hour of well-drilled defensive work, a mistake from Kingswood led to an extremely well placed clearing kick from Sam Wainwright and a brilliant follow-up chase from the back-line.

This in turn led to a steal on the halfway line, some fluent passing and footwork, and Matt Jenns eventually raced over for the first try of the game.

This was the beginning of a momentum shift in the match with all the pressure now coming from Minch, who pinned Kingswood back in their own half.

The pressure eventually led to Sean Price crashing over the line from five metres out – his first league try for the club. Wainwright made the conversion that followed.

Kingswood rallied and with Minch conceding multiple penalties the visitors rounded out the half by kicking a penalty through the posts. Minch responded with a strong start to the second half, putting passages of play together and keeping themselves close to Kingswood's try line.

The next score was a superbly struck drop goal from Wainwright. Kingswood tried to fight back but Minch’s brilliant defensive effort saw possession eventually turn over.

The third try of the game, which completed the scoring, again went to Jenns when a strong scrum drove Kingswood back over their own line from five metres out.