Saturday 9 November 2013
Dorset & Wilts Division 1
Outgunned
Trowbridge 2nd XV 34pts – Minety 1st XV 10pts
Outgunned up front, Minety struggled away against a powerful Trowbridge second team, slipping to only their second league defeat this season.
Facing a heavy front-row containing two first team props returning from injury, the Minety pack struggled in the scrums. Even so, the visitors held their own for the first 20 minutes, aided by the penalties they were repeatedly awarded for their hosts’ indiscipline.
It was Trowbridge who scored first, using their big forwards to maul their way to the line, where Alex Huscroft crashed over for the try.
Having secured the conversion, the hosts soon scored again, this time thanks to a run from Sean Ellis. Another conversion and a penalty goal gave Trowbridge a 17 point lead, but they were reduced to 14 men after their winger was yellow carded for a high tackle on Minety’s Luke Radcliffe.
Radcliffe then showed his paces with a fine solo try from his own 10 metre line, slicing through tackles to make it 17-5 at the break.
Minety contested hard when the game restarted, but two quick tries from Trowbridge winger Tom Coombes mid-way through the half swung the game firmly in the home team’s favour.
The visitors responded by moving the ball through multiple phases, retaining possession and then showing quick hands as they fed it wide to Dale Langdown, who sprinted over for a try.
But Trowbridge had the last word, breaking down Minety’s stubborn defence with a late touchdown from Sean Jones.