Minety 2nd XV v Westbury 2nd XV

Dorset & Wilts Division 3 North

Close at the top

Minety 2nd XV 18 pts – Westbury 2nd XV 22 pts

The match between the top two teams in Dorset & Wilts Division 3 North was a desperately close affair.

Playing downhill, Westbury were first to score, running in a try and to establish an early five-point lead.

Latching on to quick ruck ball in the visitors’ 22, Minety’s Sean Richards fed a pass to fellow forward Lee Patterson who stretched out of a tackle to squeeze in for try in the corner.

No conversion, but an Andy Edwards penalty goal gave Minety a narrow lead until a Westbury try and conversion just before the break made it 8-12 at half-time.

The advantage of the slope now in their favour, the hosts pressed hard in the second half, but Westbury broke the siege with a breakaway try up the slope and then extended their lead with a conversion, followed not long after by a penalty goal.

With five minutes left on the clock, Minety mauled their opponents back over their own try line, giving Milo Hartley the opportunity to touch down for a try.

Milo Hartley was Minety’s Man of the Match. Skipper Steve Murray was disappointed with the result but delighted with his team’s performance. “We were all over them in the scrum and lineout, but they were better at rucking. We tackled poorly at crucial moments, but otherwise I thought that that was the best we’ve played as a team all season. I’m confident we can beat Westbury when we travel down there!”

Minety seconds hope to wear their new kit sponsored by V-Cars when they play at home against Warminster seconds this Saturday.