MINETY'S Dorset & Wilts One North campaign ended with a brilliant 29-20 victory over champions Combe Down at Minety Fields on Saturday.

Down had only tasted defeat once this season, by a single point at Corsham, but the village team pulled together for a win which left them in fourth place.

Minety took the lead in the 22nd minute with a Garin Garland penalty and another in the 30th minute extended Minety’s lead to six points.

Their first try followed on 36 minutes as Garland's pass to Dale Langdown caught the entire Down defence flat-footed and the full -back raced through to score wide on the left, Garland converting from long range The champions hit back with an unconverted try tat the end of the first half and added a second score shortly after the break.

But Minety’s fighting spirit, which saw them win the Dorset & Wilts Vase earlier in the season, shone through and, after Garland was tackled in midfield, fly-half Jack Ward cleared out an attacker allowing flanker Stephen Brown to pick up and race through from 30 metres.

Garland converted and although a Down penalty on 49 minutes reduced the lead two more Garland penalties stretched the Minety lead Minety were reduced to 14 men for persistent infringements near to their own line on 74 minutes and conceded a penalty try shortly afterwards.

But a Garland penalty deep in injury time wrapped up their victory.

Captain Andrew Hibberd said: “We were really up for that match from the start. It was a superb team performance both in defence and attack. I’ve really enjoyed my time as captain this season and this result ends our campaign perfectly.”

Coach Andy Ward, in his last match, said: “I really believed in this team. I knew they had it in them for once last, magnificent effort.

"Our set pieces worked well. We dominated at lineout and scrummaged so much better in the second half. It was a real hearts and pride performance. I’m so proud of all of them.”