MINETY capped possibly the finest week in the club’s history with victory in the Dorset & Wilts Vase Final against previously-unbeaten Lytchett Minster at Warminster.

The villagers lifted the trophy for the first time just days after the club’s chief coach, Cliff Garland, was named as BBC West's Unsung Hero for Wiltshire, Coach Andy Ward said: “We put in so much effort and I was so proud of the entire squad.

“We left nothing out on the field; everyone gave their all. Lytchett were a fine team. They played with great spirit and their club should be proud of what they’ve achieved, but we were just jubilant. We’re not bad for a little village team.’’ Chief coach Garland added: “It’s the end of an astonishing week. It was an amazing performance.”

Minety attacked from the whistle and forced the Dorset team back with attacking rugby.

Twice Minety were denied tries by the referee’s whistle but in the 16th minute, scrum-half Garin Garland slotted home a penalty to put Minety 3-0 up.

With the wind in their favour in the second half, Lytchett laid siege to the Minety line yet were unable to score, until, with 20 minutes left, scrum-half Kyle Pinnock crashed over for a converted try after a scrum on the Minety line.

The game opened up in the last quarter, with both teams going for the winning score.

The breakthrough came with eight minutes left when Minety captain Wallace Hibberd charged down a kick and touched down for a try that Garland converted, Minety holding on to win their first piece of major silverware.

Captain Hibberd said: “We had most of the territory and possession in the first half and won most of the loose ball but we couldn’t get that try that would open them up.

“We absorbed so much pressure in the second half and I was just relieved when we got that winning try. We’re looking forward to the next stage of the competition, which we’ll play in January.”

Club chairman Dave Peirce added, “I’m over the moon. That was the best performance from a Minety team that I can remember. Minety is really moving forward – you can feel the momentum rising, as witnessed by the tremendous travelling support that we had.”

Minety go on to play in the semi finals of the Southern Counties Vase.