MINETY's pursuit of runaway Dorset & Wilts One North leaders Combe Down suffered a serious setback as they were surprised by Trowbridge 2nd on Saturday.

In a match switched to Trowbridge after the Minety pitches were again deemed unfit, the home side, ninth in the table and with just three victories all season, launched a ferocious assault on the Minety line in the first 15 minutes.

Able to handle the driving wind and slippery ball much more effectively, Trowbridge dominated and it was entirely against the run of play that Minety opened the scoring.

A kick through from fly-half Tom McAllister pushed Trowbridge back into their own half and a superb move through the backs saw winger Ben Langridge cross the line wide out for the opening try.

That score merely stirred the dominant Trowbridge pack onto greater efforts, Minety being forced into heroics in defence just to keep them out.

The pressure finally told in the 26th minute as a mix-up in a lineout close to their own try line saw the ball break free to allow a Trowbridge forward to score.

Minety enjoyed their best spell of rugby in the lead up to half time, centre David Church making a number of forceful breaks but the score remained level.

Handling mistakes, a misfiring lineout and failure to capitalise in the scrum left Minety defending desperately in the second period but, in the 49th minute Trowbridge scored the decisive try as lost ball at the scrum deep in their own 22 metre area was picked up and driven over the line by the Trowbridge pack.