Weather permitting, both Minety teams will be in action on Saturday in re-arranged fixtures after postponements earlier in the season. On a weekend which was originally free of fixtures in the Dorset and Wiltshire North Leagues 1 and 3, so as not to clash with 6 Nations Internationals, the 1st XV travel to Corsham for a 2pm kick off whilst the 2nd XV hope to entertain Warminster, kick off yet to be confirmed.
Andy Ward’s 1st XV desperately need to get their season back on track after a run of 3 consecutive defeats in Dorset and Wilts 1 North. Sitting in 5th place in the table, they are 8 points behind joint second placed Royal Wootton Bassett and Melksham and 4 points behind their opposition on Saturday. All four teams have a chance at the 2nd place promotion play off match but Corsham appear to be the form team in the league at the moment.
With only five league matches left of the season, Minety travel to Corsham, Supermarine and Colerne with home fixtures against Chippenham and run away league leaders Combe Down.
Last time Minety met Corsham back in September the villagers came out 46-20 victors but Andy Ward and captain Andrew Hibbard know that the Corsham team they’ll face on Saturday is a different proposition to the one they defeated at Minety Fields early on in the season. Corsham have rocketed up the table and have been undefeated since a loss to Combe Down back in November. Last week Corsham inflicted Combe Down’s only defeat of the season; it will be a tough challenge for Minety.
The 2nd XV face Warminster. At the time of writing, the kick off time has yet to be confirmed but is likely to be earlier than the 3pm originally reported. Minety 2nds find themselves in 7th place in the league, with 32 points, 9 behind Warminster, who are one place above them in the league. The home team haven’t completed a league fixture since 13th February and haven’t managed a whole home match since before Christmas. Having lost their last two matches at Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon, they will be hoping that the fresh band of rain will not render the Minety pitches unplayable again.
Warminster have had a mixed season but have shown how dangerous they can be by running up the biggest win of the season, against Swindon by 103-12 in December, a Swindon team who recently inflicted a painful defeat upon Minety.