MINETY safely negotiated the first round of this year's Powergen-sponsored Junior Vase with a comprehensive victory.

In-form winger Simon Barrett scored a hat-trick of tries and there were tries too for winger Ian Neal and full back Luke Huckin plus a try for each for the two locks, Dave Keates and Keith Arrell.

Barrett opened the scoring, but his best try and probably the best of the game came mid-way through the first half when the Minety pack recycled ball from a ruck on the Hungerford 22.

It was spun out to the three-quarters where flanker James Smith made the extra man and executed a neat looping move with outside centre Eddie Robinson.

Having received Robinson's return pass, Smith then set Barrett off for a sprint up the touchline. He had two men to beat but breezed past them both on his way to the line.

Keates and Neal then scored to put Minety 26 points in front at half time.

The game's final try came from a tapped penalty move taken on by second row forward Keith Arrell.

Taking the ball on a long diagonal run, he successfully bludgeoned his way to the line with no fewer than three opposing players hanging off him.

The final score, however, belonged to fly half James Tweedale, who finished the game with a beautifully struck drop goal to add to his tally of four successful conversion kicks.

This Saturday Minety make the short trip up the B4040 for the first of two consecutive visits to Cricklade.