SUTTON Benger claimed their first away win of the Dorset & Wilts One North season with a 15-14 victory at Trowbridge 2nd.

Benger got off to a superb start, shipping the ball wide through the backs to Tom Doran, who broke through to score a try converted by Ollie Maher.

The visitors were then able to pull further clear before the break when Callum Harford landed a long-range penalty to put his side 10-0 up.

As the game progressed, Trowbridge started to look more dangerous as the Benger defence tired and they picked the ball up off the back of a scrum to drive over for a converted try.

Trowbridge were soon back on the attack and caught the Benger defence out of position after turning the ball over on halfway, with a superb kick collected by a winger to score a second converted try and take the lead at 14-10.

Benger upped the ante in the closing stages and Harford grabbed the ball at a ruck before brushing off a number of defenders to score in the corner and give the visitors a one-point lead.

Trowbridge were given a final chance to snatch the win when they were awarded a penalty from the last play of the match, but to Benger’s relief, the kick went wide and the visitors pounced to put the ball dead and seal the victory.

One week on from their Dorset & Wiltshire Senior Vase final disappointment, an injury-ravaged Minety were beaten on their return to league action, losing 55-10 at leaders Combe Down.

Minety travelled to unbeaten Combe with 14 players and ended the match with just 11, but belied those problems to more than match their illustrious opponents for long periods.

The villagers more than held their own in the opening exchanges, but the hosts began to show their quality and had racked up the fourth bonus-point try before Minety got on the scoreboard through Ash Windle’s penalty.

Minety finished the half strongly and Dave Cooke intercepted to run in to score from 60m, with Windle’s conversion giving the score a more respectable look at 24-10.

Now down to 13 players after Phil Day was withdrawn with a neck injury, Minety battled to see the half out, but Combe Down scored a fifth try before the break.

Despite Minety beginning the second half brightly, their efforts went unrewarded on the scoreboard and the next two tries came from the home side, and the villagers’ 13 men soon became 12 when Mark Glew was forced off with a leg injury.

Come Down scored two more tries against an exhausted Minety defence in the closing stages before the referee called a halt to proceedings when Minety lost Cooke to an ankle injury, meaning they had only 11 men left on the field.

Calne’s hopes of a second win of the season came up short at home to Royal Wootton Bassett 2nd as they were beaten 22-13, while Pewsey Vale were pummelled 57-0 by visiting Pewsey Vale.