Minety Rugby Football Club
2007-08 season            Home + Fixtures + Directions + Players + Gallery + Events + Youth

Dorset & Wilts Division 1 North
Neck and Neck!
Minety 1st XV 10pts - Bradford on Avon 1st XV 10pts
- Further Pictures -
Lineout action during Minety v Bradford on Avon
In a compellingly close fixture on a dismal afternoon, Minety and Bradford on Avon battled it out for a 10-all draw. Minety dominated the scrums and led for much of the match but undermined their efforts with handling errors and indiscipline. Bradford for their part hung in and eventually got back on level terms but couldn’t land the late penalty goal which might have won them the match.

Bradford on Avon started in a lively fashion and did their best to prevent their hosts from settling down to their game. In a foretaste of what was to come, Minety went offside after a couple of minutes, giving away a penalty that allowed the visitors to slot a goal from 35 metres out and gain an early three-point lead.

Minety did better from the restart as their back row harried and hassled the visitors on their own ball, charging down kicks and consistently catching the ball carrier before he could offload possession. Winger Ryan Dowling came close to scoring for Minety but was bundled into touch just short of the line. His team continued to press, though, and when Bradford were caught in their own 22 using hands in the ruck, he stepped up to level the scores with a penalty goal.

Tackle! The slippery conditions made handling difficult for both sides but Minety compounded their problems with a catalogue of poor passing, technical infringements and accidental offsides. They enjoyed a territorial advantage and the bulk of the possession but Bradford defended stoutly and they were unable to score. When the visitors in their turn broke out of their half, they found Minety equally determined to hold their line. Both sides had a player yellow carded before the half was out and they eventually turned round with 14 men apiece and the score still tied at three-all.

Minety broke the deadlock in the second half thanks to a brilliant interception try by Dowling. He snapped a loose pass out of the air as Bradford tried to counterattack and glided 40 metres upfield to score without his opponents managing to lay a hand on him. His conversion of his own try made it 10-3 and Minety appeared to be in the box seat.

But although the home side regularly disrupted their opponents’ scrums, set up driving mauls and had a number of promising passing moves, they failed to score again, undone by Bradford’s tackling and their own errors. And when Minety went offside, Bradford kicked for territory and seized their opportunity, driving over for a try from a five metre lineout.

The conversion levelled the scores and when Minety’s forwards subsequently went offside after a clearance kick, Bradford were gifted with the opportunity to snatch victory. The kick sailed to the left of the posts, however, and the game ended with Minety breathing fire but still unable to add another score.
Bradford on Avon mount an attacking lineout in the second half
The draw leaves Minety still undefeated in the league and top of the table by one point. They will hope to put on a more clinical performance this Saturday as they play host to Supermarine.

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