MINETY'S 1st XV travelled to Royal Wootton Bassett on Saturday eager to kick-start their D&W1 season into life after last week’s narrow loss at Warminster, writes Graham Cooke.

Fielding a team showing four changes, coach Andy Grayson set out his side ready for an open and expansive game and his team responded magnificently, comprehensively beating their local rivals by 47 points to 13.

On a bright and breezy afternoon, the villagers kicked-off and immediately used their quick and incisive passing to push the home team back.

Minety took the lead in the sixth- minute. After a flowing backs’ move, hard hitting flanker Ben Sellick burst through the defensive line before centre Tom McAllister popped the ball to second row Matt Stone, the forward side stepping his way to the line to score.

After a period of home pressure Minety struck again. Bassett’s scrum was pushed back near their line and the quick thinking scrum half Garin Garland was the first to react to a loose ball, picking up and crashing over for a try which he then converted to put Minety 12-0 up.

The village team had certainly learned lessons from the opening day defeat at Warminster; tackling was crisp and the defensive line speed meant Bassett rarely had time on the ball to set up attacking moves properly.

One of Bassett’s rare breaks was foiled by a wonderful full length tackle from the hugely impressive Sellick.

Minety’s momentum was halted by an unusual incident in the 30th minute. Winger Dave Cooke collided with the linesman whilst chasing a defensive kick. Both went down, the linesman subsequently requiring five stitches in an ugly head wound, and the game was held up for 10 minutes while both received treatment.

The break broke Minety’s rhythm. Bassett responded with an unconverted try and a penalty to reduce the arrears at half time to 12-8.

The second half started in dramatic fashion with Minety’s Number 8 Andrew Hibbard breaking out of defence and running 60 metres before being hauled down. Slick passing pushed the visitors forward and when Hibbard caught Garland’s chip through and passed it to Sam Hughes, the young fly half side stepped his way to the line.

Centre Jack Howse scored the bonus point winning 4th try with a marvellous individual effort. Picking the ball up 40 metres out, the centre danced his way through the entire Bassett defence to score near the posts. Garland kicked the conversion and Minety extended their lead to 26-8.

Minety’s fifth try came after a period of sustained pressure. Hibbard, Cooke and McAllister were all held up close to the line but the defence could do nothing to prevent prop forward Mark Glew’s finely judged charge to the line. Garland’s conversion extended the lead to 33-8.

Stone grabbed his second try in the 65th minute, ending a fluent attacking move down the left wing involving Garland, McAllister and Glew. The scrum half was injured in the move but McAllister made no mistake with his conversion: 40 – 8.

Bassett scored a consolation try in the 70th minute as both sides tired but it was left to Minety centre Howse to complete the scoring with his second, and Minety’s 7th try of the match in the 72nd minute, intercepting a pass and running in under the posts from 20 metres out. McAllister converted and Minety took maximum league points with a 47-13 victory.

Coach Andy Grayson was delighted with his team’s performance.

He said: “That was a really good game with so many positives to come out of it. Our defence was fine, we scored some lovely tries and our forwards dominated. Special mention to Cameron Smith, coming back to play prop after a couple of years out, but Man of the Match, for his two tries and great all round work, must go to Matt Stone.”

In the weekend’s other match, Minety 2nds went down 33-24 in a hard fought and competitive match at Chippenham.