Promotion is still very much in the minds of Wootton Bassett officials after they maintained joint top spot with Frome by beating Minety on Saturday.

In a game that Wootton Bassett dominated the scoreline did not reflect the pressure and play that the men in black actually had.

In very wet and windy conditions it was full-back Sean Millwaters who opened the scoring with only six minutes gone when he finished off a fine flowing backs move started by fly-half Nick Parker and crashed over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Bassett continued to pressurise the Minety line but the combination of the wet and slippery conditions, determined tackling, refereeing decisions and Minety's always tenacious strategy at the breakdown, stopped them from converting the pressure into any more points.

It was just before the half hour mark that centre John Clarke latched onto the end of a back line move and crossed wide out, to put the half time scoreline at 10-0.

The second period saw Bassett continue to apply the pressure, but they were never allowed to get going by Minety in the worsening conditions.

With only 15 minutes left the Minety number eight was shown the red card for a head butt on Bassett hooker Matt Hutchings.

Strangely enough it was Minety who scored with the one man deficit when they kicked the ball deep into Bassett's dead ball area and the official controversially awarded the five metre scrum to Minety from which they drove over and scored an unconverted try.

With less than 10 minutes left Bassett took the ball deep into the Minety half and were awarded a penalty which replacement full-back Duncan Fulling slotted to give Bassett the victory.

Coach Graham Stickler said of his squad's performance: "In very bad conditions we never really managed to get going and finish any of our plays.

"We had all the pressure but not the points. We were always in control and it didn't look like Minety were ever going to trouble us."

l A Dorset and Wilts disciplinary hearing was due to the held last night in Salisbury over the abandonment of Wootton Bassett's league encounter at Bournemouth on December 11.

Both clubs agreed the most sensible option would be to let the result stand from the fixture, which the referee abandoned 37 minutes into the second half with Bournemouth leading 25-8.

The referee refused to give a reason for his decision after the match, saying the clubs would have to wait for the reaction from the league to his match report.

The league responded by summoning the clubs to the hearing where the likely result seems to be the result will stand. However, the committee can also ask for the match to be replayed or dock crucial league points.