After a promising first half in which they scored two tries, Minety were unable to cope in the second half against a combination of a strengthening wind, a steep slope and a powerful Trowbridge pack.

Playing down the hill in the first half, Minety opened the scoring after ten minutes with a slick handling move among the backs that ended with a try for skipper Luke Huckin, playing at centre.

Ryan Dowling kicked the conversion.

Trowbridge got on the score sheet ten minutes later with a try from their forwards, mauling over the line from short-range following a lineout, only to see their hosts respond with a try from a similar catch-and-drive move five minutes later.

Minety's scorer was hooker Andy Moran.

With the slope now to their advantage, the visitors dominated the second half, pinning Minety back into their own territory.

The wind began to get up as well, blowing straight down the steep gradient at the Nigel Bishop Memorial Ground and gusting strongly enough to blow some of Minety's attempted clearance kicks back over the kicker's head.

Heavy conditions and a slippery ball made handling difficult, but despite Minety's stalwart tackling, the Trowbridge pack scored three short-range tries, two of which were converted.

The loss leaves Minety with an almost impossible task to avoid relegation this season, now eight points adrift of Tadley at the bottom of the league standings, and facing a tough run in to the end of the season.

This Saturday, Minety firsts travel away for a league game against Dorchester, while the seconds are due to play an away fixture in Dorset and Wilts Division Two North against Devizes thirds.