Supermarine record comes to an end

From the archive, first published Tuesday 25th Oct 2005.

SUPERMARINE'S unbeaten run in Dorset and Wilts Division 1 North came to a juddering halt on Saturday as a super team performance from Minety made the league leaders look very ordinary.

Supermarine managed to kick two penalty goals to keep themselves in the game, but the villagers restricted them to a single try, while scoring three themselves.

Supermarine made an authoritative and imposing start, charging into Minety territory, forcing a penalty within three minutes of the kick-off and taking an early lead.

Twenty minutes into the game, and it was Minety on top, as the home pack gradually gained an edge in the scrums, rucks and mauls.

They pinned the visitors back and finally a ruck deep in Supermarine's 22 enabled Luke Huckin to score the first try from scrumhalf Andy Brown's pass. The conversion was slotted over by James Tweedale giving Minety a 7-3 lead.

Marine failed with a penalty attempt. The hosts promptly took play back to the other end of the field, where Supermarine infringed at a five metre scrum. Taking a quick tap penalty, Brown fed the ball right, giving Tweedale the opportunity to squeeze in by the corner flag for his side's second try, which he then duly converted.

Supermarine returned to the attack and in the final minutes of the half were awarded another penalty and ran the ball in for a soft try which they then converted to make it 14-10 at the interval.

Both sides missed relatively easy penalty kicks early into the second-half but then the visitors managed to kick their second penalty goal to bring them within a single point of Minety.

The critical point came at a lineout 15 metres from the Supermarine try line. The visitors were harried and hassled and Minety prop Andy Hurley snatched possession and piled over for the decisive try.

Tweedale's kick sailed between the posts to make the scoreline 21-13 to Minety but missed a subsequent drop-goal attempt.

"Our best team performance of the season," commented Minety skipper Andy Brown after the match.

This Saturday, Minety visit Swindon 2nd for another stern test in a critical top-of-the table fixture.

Rugby Vase first round matches to be played on scheduled date of November 5 are as follows: Blandford v Supermarine; Trowbridge v Weymouth; Bridport v Cooper Avon Tyres; Bradford on Avon v Swindon.

The delayed matches will be played on November 26.

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