MINETY coach Andy Grayson was relieved and surprised by his patched-up side's narrow 20-15 defeat at Melksham.

Seven of the visitors' 18-man squad had not played first team rugby this season and for three, it was their first taste of competitive rugby since last season.

Minety took the lead in the 10th minute from a Garin Garland penalty after Melksham were caught offside and he extended the lead with a further kick three minutes later.

Garland kicked his third penalty after centre Jack Howse had broken through and been brought to ground inches from the line and the village side held out until the 34th minute when a fluent move along the line saw Melksham’s winger Luke Cador cross for the game’s first try.

Garland’s injury-time penalty in front of the posts saw Minety enter the break 12-5 up.

Melksham started the 2nd half strongly and their efforts were rewarded with a try in the 42nd minute, as a cross-field move and a deft cutback by hooker Brad Wilkins opened up the defence for the second try.

When Minety flanker Gareth Peirce, himself making his first appearance of the season, was injured, club president Andy Ward, one of three veterans making up the bench with a combined age of 164, was forced into action.

Minety’s influential captain Tom Claxton was forced off with a nasty-looking ankle injury and then Melksham were awarded a try through centre Kieran Jenkins.

The hosts' fourth try came in the 73rd minute through centre Callum Gillard but Garland slotted a fifth penalty to keep his men in it until the end.

Grayson said: “They ought to be proud of what they did over the course of 80 minutes; I know I am. We had so many players new to the squad with others playing out of position but they gave their all and you can’t ask more than that.

"The game plan worked well in the first half but we tired in the second and allowed them to come back into the match. Even so, with a couple of breaks going our way, we could have won it.''