Minety’s 34-19 defeat of Swindon at the weekend pushed Matt Stone’s team up to 8th in the league, having played 4, won2 and lost 2 (one conceded) to give them a total of 6 points. The win was doubly important since Swindon sit just one place above the village side and anything other than a win for Minety would have cut them loose from the pack chasing the league leaders.
Interestingly, Minety are the only team currently in the bottom half of the table to show a positive “Poinst For / Points Against” score of +45 – showing that the village team are in a false place in the early stages of the league, penalised by their inability to field a team in the first match of the season when injuries to members of the 1st XV necessitated last minute call ups for a number of 2nds players.
On Saturday the 2nd XV travel to bottom of the table Melksham, who are enduring a torrid time this season. They lost their first match of the season at Bradford on Avon but then bounced back with a fine win over Supermarine, by 51-20. Since then they have been unable to fulfil their fixtures against Corsham, Warminster and Devizes and have been heavily penalised by the league leaving them adrift at the foot of the table with a -5 points total.
Joint top of the table, and both unbeaten up until Saturday, Corsham and Bradford on Avon came up against each other with Corsham running away with a 60-10 victory that takes them clear at the table top.
2nd placed Warminster were awarded a “Walk over” after Melksham conceded while Trowbridge defeated Chippenham 28-5.
5th placed Bath Saracens overcame Devizes 52-27 away from home.