CHIPPENHAM maintained their 100 per cent record in Dorset & Wilts One North, but were made to work hard by local rivals Minety.

The visitors showed they meant business as a Ryan Dowling penalty and try from scrum-half Tom Fitzcharles three minutes later gave them the lead.

Chippenham struck back with a converted try but barely five minutes passed before winger Dale Langdown scampered over for Minety’s second.

A break by Chippenham’s inside centre Matt Rhodes and a successful conversion from Dom Riccio closed the gap to a point and Chippenham grabbed the lead with a further try.

Powerful runs by flanker Gareth Peirce and lock Matt Hooper soon took the visitors back into their hosts’ 22 where inside centre Jonty Messer went under the posts, Dowling’s conversion giving them a 22-21 interval lead.

An interception try at the start of the second period gave Chippenham a lead they were never to relinquish and the home side added a second before lock Andrew Hibbard touched down for Minety.

Chippenham rounded off their tally with a converted score, but Hibbard’s break set up flanker Max Smith for Minety to have the last word.

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