Wootton Bassett kept up their Southern Counties South title chase with a 13-5 victory over local neighbours Minety on Saturday.

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

In very wet and windy conditions it was fullback Sean Millwaters who opened the scoring with only six minutes gone when he finished off a fine flowing backs move started by flyhalf 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, strange refereeing decisions and Minety constantly slowing down the play and killing the ball, stopped them from converting the pressure into any more points.

It was just before the half hour mark thatcentre 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 due to the constant killing of the ball and the worsening conditions.

With only 15 minutes left the Minety No 8 was shown the red card for a 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 bizarrly awarded the five metre scrum to Minety from which they drove over and scored for 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."