Injury hit Minety 2nds lose at Swindon.

Injury hit Minety lose at Swindon.

Minety 2nd XV lost their Dorset and Wilts Division 3 North match at Swindon III’s by 20-12 in a match which will not linger long in the memory.

With the 1st XV’s match postponed after the pitches at Minety were deemed unfit after an early morning pitch inspection, all eyes turned to the 2nd XV and their match encounter with close rivals Swindon 3rds.

The home team won the toss and chose to play with a stiff wind at their backs. The heavy conditions under foot and a slippery ball made handling difficult. Time and time again, Minety moves floundered in midfield and scrum ball was untidy and rushed. The heavier Swindon side adapted better and kept the ball close to rucks and scored their first try in the 13th minute.

Swindon’s second try came in the 26th minute, again based upon successful rucking before the ball went wide where their winger beat his opposite number to score out wide.

Minety struck back but found it difficult to gain any quality ball at either scrum or lineout and were further behind 9 minutes before half time when another Swindon forwards’ move created room for a third try out wide.

With his team 15 points down at half time, Coach Andy Ward had stern words for the Minety team. The second half started more brightly with the visitors making good use of the strong and gusting wind but it took until the 58th minute, and a move of rare individual class, for them to score. 2nd half substitute Del Murray collected the ball in his own half, chipped his opposition winger and won a dramatic race to touch down in the corner.

But any hopes that the fightback could continue were dashed in the 64th minute when the Minety defence, now carrying a number of injuries, were unable to defend their line as Swindon scored a 4th try.

Some form of consolation was found in the final minute when a fine breakout from deep in their own 22 saw Minety attack down the left wing before David Cooke ran in to score under the posts from 30 metres. Ash Windle kicked the conversion in the final action of the game.

A bruised and battered skipper, Ben Scott, said afterwards, “We let the first half get away from us and lacked structure in our play. We were missing 6 or 7 players and then suffered a whole raft of injuries on the pitch and just couldn’t get our game together.”

Date: Saturday 30th January 2016. Kick off 2.15pm

Venue: Swindon Rugby Club

Weather conditions: Cold but clear. High wind. Pitch wet

Competition: Dorset and Wilts Division 3 North

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