Wins puts Bassett back on track

BASSETT got their season back on track with a fine display in overwhelming Sherborne in their Southern Counties South encounter.

They set out their intentions from the start, with an early try from combative prop Dave Mason, who picked up a loose ball and crashed over.

From then on Bassett dominated. Their forwards created both space and time for the backs who took most of their opportunities. As Bassett's confidence grew so did the scoreline.

Veteran Kiwi centre Steve Cunningham added a try following a neat break which was converted by fly half Neil James. Bassett's new number eight Keith Whitaker, who is developing into an excellent talent then notched a third try to send Bassett in 17-0 at the break.

The second half started with Bassett again in control. Further tries came from Dave Mason and winger Phil Woodcock. Sherborne did at times threaten the Bassett back line with their best attempts midway through the half resulting in a try. Centre Paul Floyd then added a score following another Bassett break. Shortly after Bassett were awarded a penalty try following persistent infringement.

Neil James wrapped up the scoring with a conversion and two penalties.

Bassett's man of the match was centre John Hook for his excellent defence and his constant movement around the park.

Assistant coach and Bassett club stalwart Mark Scholes said: "It's good to get our first win in the league, but as ever there is still room for improvement and things we have to iron out on the training pitch."

Bassett take on Bournemouth on Saturday when they hope to be strengthened by two new signings from the Southern hemisphere.

Minety 8, Trowbridge 16

NEITHER home advantage nor a narrow first-half lead was enough to secure Minety a win as they took on Trowbridge in a Dorset and Wiltshire Division One fixture rescheduled from the weekend of the petrol crisis.

While Trowbridge came back strongly after the break, Minety seemed to suffer a temporary loss of collective will and discipline, allowing a match they might have won to slip from their grasp.

Deploying a strong and well-drilled front five, Trowbridge dominated the set pieces throughout, constantly disrupting Minety's ball while consistently securing their own at scrums and lineouts.

Behind the pack, it was a different story. Slow distribution by the Trowbridge half-backs meant that the visitors' three-quarters were rarely able to take full advantage of the ball won through their forwards' hard work.

More often than not, the Minety back row were able to catch the Trowbridge scrum-half in possession. At times in the first half, the home side rucked and mauled very well, making up in loose play for the advantage lost at set pieces.

Trowbridge opened the scoring with a penalty to gain a temporary three-point lead. Minety responded with a determined onslaught which culminated in a try for fly-half James Tweedale.

Although he was unable to convert his score, he did not miss when a subsequent passage of attacking play ended in a penalty to the home side in comfortable kicking range.

With the advantage of the slope in the second half, Trowbridge gradually increased the pressure on their hosts. Driving Minety back off their own ball at a scrum barely five metres from their line, Trowbridge were awarded a penalty which they kicked to ease themselves back into the game.

Trowbridge upped the pressure, but sound defence by Minety seemed sufficient to prevent them from scoring until a series of offside offences conceded crucial penalty decisions in range of goal. The visitors' kicker fluffed his first opportunity but not his second, and having narrowly regained the lead, Trowbridge never looked back.

With the visitors still looking vulnerable in broken play, it was a time for steady nerves and renewed effort by the home team.

Instead, Minety seemed to loose their collective composure, and by the time they had regained it, Trowbridge had already scored and converted the crucial try.

Minety gathered their wits and put in some good attacking play but, by then, it was all too late.

Minety must hope for a more consistent effort this Saturday as they travel to take on old enemies Bridport in another league encounter.

Minety 2nds 12, Trowbridge 2nds 34

WITH the score tied 12-all mid-way through the second half, Minety must have fancied their chances, but a late flourish by the Trowbridge second string dashed their hopes and gave the final score line an altogether different slant.

A good team performance and a first-half try by flanker Richard Smith, run in from a tap penalty 10 metres out, meant that Minety were very much in the game in the first half.

It was 5-12 at half-time, and another try from Smith after the interval brought the two teams closer still.

This time it was ball from the lineout just inside the Minety half that led to the score. Sean Richards caught and tidied the ball, presenting it cleanly to scrum-half Alistair Grierson. He turn popped it to Smith, who ran through a series of tackles as he powered his way down the pitch to score. The conversion brought the two teams level and the score remained on 12-all until a penalty gave Trowbridge a slender three-point lead.

Trowbridge then broke their shackles, running in three tries in the last 10 minutes and converting two of them to gain an impressive final margin of victory.

The seconds join their firsts next week in a trip to the coast to take on Bridport's second string on Saturday.

High Wycombe 7, Chippenham 42

AFTER last weeks disappointing win away at Avon, Chippenham bounced back with an impressive performance at bottom placed club High Wycombe.

High Wycombe, who until recently enjoyed National League status, showed how far they have fallen since the advent of semi-professionalism robbed them of their better players.

It was the home side who started brightly and scored a converted try after only a few minutes with the Chippenham defence asleep.

This was the spur for Chippenham to raise their game and it took only a few minutes for them to breach the home side's line with a well worked move, finished off by left winger Gary Squires. He crossed for his second try only minutes later as the Chippenham pack exerted great pressure, sucking in the High Wycombe defenders before scrum half Tim Dunford fed the winger to score in the right corner.

Another lightning break by Trevor Lloyd was rewarded with a try for the fly half who converted to give the visitors a 17-7 half -time lead.

In the second half the Chippenham three quarters attacked from all parts of the field and, playing behind an increasingly dominant pack, further tries came from number eight Kenny Brown, centre Rupert Crockett and flanker Scott Sherrett, with Lloyd adding the conversions and two penalties.