RUGBY: Minety RFC fail to make up for a poor start (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

RUGBY: Minety RFC fail to make up for a poor start

7:00am Thursday 4th October 2012 in Sport

Dorset & Wilts Division One North

Minety 1st XV 17pts

Combe Down 1st XV 19pts

A STRONG finish from Minety couldn't make up for a poor start and an uneven Combe Down did just enough to clinch this closely fought contest. Visiting flyhalf Dan Shepherd punished Minety's ill-disciplined start with three well- struck penalties to give Combe Down an early nine-point lead.

When Minety eventually got under way, they failed to turn a long period in the visitors' 22 into points. Combe Down countered, snatching up dropped ball, creating an overlap and storming downfield. 

Minety scrambled a hasty defence but soon gave away a penalty and their opponents crashed over for a short-range try. The home side responded positively but poor handling undermined their attempts to get back on terms. No 8 Pete Hazell had to retire with a leg injury and the sides turned round with Combe Down ahead by 14 points to nil.

Minety began the second half strongly but kicked away possession.  The back line finally gelled when a determined break by centre Dave Church put winger Dale Langdown away for a try by the corner flag.  Luke Radcliffe succeeded with a difficult conversion from the touchline to make it 7-14.

As Minety continued to press, the indiscipline of the Combe Down forwards left the referee no choice but to yellow card one of their flankers.

Twice Minety crossed the try line but failed to score. There was better finishing from skipper Tom Fitzcharles, though, who capped a 20-metre dash with a try that brought his team to within two points of the visitors.

Combe Down responded with renewed determination. Though many spectators thought that they came from an offside position, they snaffled possession from Minety, created an overlap on the left and moved the ball wide. 

Tackled as he took the ball, Matt Musgrove still made sure of the try and Shepherd's accurate goal kicking stretched the visitors' lead to 12-19.

Back came the hosts, taking the game to the wire with a last minute try from prop Martin Coe, powering over for a third try by the corner flag. 

A successful conversion would have levelled the score, but it was not to be and Combe Down scraped through with a win.  

Dorset & Wilts Division 3 North

Minety 2nd XV 93pts 

Melksham 3rd XV 0pts

MINETY seconds went top of Division 3 North with a comprehensive victory over their Melksham opponents.

Playing downhill in the first half, the home side wasted no time in opening up their opponents' fragile defence.  Dellam Murray led the way with a try in the corner and his team mates were soon following his example.

The score was 43-0 at half-time and even though the slope was against them in the second period, Minety remained dominant in all phases of play and continued to pile on the points.

Tim Vaughan and Mike Edwards each completed a hat-trick of tries while Dellam Murray and Andy Edwards ended with a brace of tries apiece. 

There were tries, too, for Lee Patterson, Luke Bush, Mike Scott and Milo Hartley, plus one for Dellam's dad Steve Murray, who also kicked a conversion. 

Edwards added eight more to make up a final tally of 93 points for Minety.