Saturday 28 September 2013
Dorset & Wilts Division 3
Overshadowed
Combe Down 2nd XV 17pts – Minety 2nd XV 7pts
A serious injury to Minety flyhalf Andy Edwards overshadowed a close fixture eventually won two tries to one by Combe Down.
Minety seconds’ new-look threequarter line started shakily, but eventually settled down to the job. Solid tackling kept their hosts at bay, until a long-range penalty goal by Combe Down’s flyhalf gave the home team the lead.
Following up, Combe Down wrestled their way over for a try, and a successful conversion gave them a 10-nil lead at the break.
It was early in the second half that Edwards went down in a tackle and disappeared under a ruck. The referee stopped play, an ambulance was sent for and Edwards was taken to hospital, where tests later showed he had fractured his neck in two places.
After a long interval, play resumed and, following incisive runs from Tom Windle and Morgan Lightbody, Minety camped in their hosts’ 22. Forays by Nick Skelton and replacement flyhalf Nick Jones enabled the Minety pack to set up a ruck from which Josh Bagshawe crashed over for a try, which Jones converted.
At 10-7, the game hung in the balance, but when Minety had a player yellow carded, Combe Down exploited their advantage by scoring the winning try. Another successful conversion made it 17-7 at the final whistle.