Saturday 14 April 2012
Minety finish in style
Dorset & Wilts Division 1 North
Minety 1st XV 45pts – Fairford 0pts
Minety finished the league season in style with an emphatic six-try win over Fairford.
With the home pack comfortably in control up front, there was always plenty of clean ball for their backs to run. Fairford tackled solidly for the first 20 minutes, but three penalty goals from Minety skipper Jack Ward kept the score board still quietly ticking over.
The breakthrough came with a threequarter move that put winger Tom Fitzcharles away on a break that took him nearly to the line. A last-ditch tackle almost saved the day, but flanker Gareth Peirce was on hand to take a pop pass and dive over for a try.
Ward’s conversion made it 16-nil, but Minety were only just getting started. A storming run from centre Dave Church took play to within five metres of the try line, where the visitors conceded a penalty. Minety opted to scrum, allowing number 8 Andrew Hibbard to pick up from the base and pile over for another five points.
Dynamic rucking and quick ball from the forwards soon set the home threequarters on their way again and this time Fitzcharles bounced his opposite number off and went over for a try in the corner.
Fairford ended the half strongly, executing a catch-and-drive from a lineout to cross the Minety try line. A knock-on in goal prevented a score, however, and the sides turned round with the hosts 26-nil ahead.
Playing downhill in the second half, Minety comfortably contained their opponents and added three further tries.
When Robin Greenway gathered an attempted clearance kick, his counter attack caught Fairford on the hop and set Ward away for a try under the posts which he then promptly converted.
Capitalising on good forward pressure, scrumhalf Richard Fisher picked up from the back of a ruck and broke through an attempted tackle to score try number five.
Ward kicked the goal and was then on hand to finish off another break by Church, landing a try in the corner to make the final score 45-nil to Minety.
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