Another Kent side beaten by Heathfield!

Heathfield deservedly collected a third home win to keep them in second place in the Counties 1 Kent table.

In excellent conditions in spite of the heavy recent rain, Sevenoaks had first use of the slight slope and soon showed their willingness to move the ball wide whenever possible. Good pace and handling gave them two tries from quick turnover ball, both converted for a 0-14 lead.

Heathfield were starting to put some decent moves together but were handicapping themselves at this stage by losing the first four lineouts thus ruining some good attacking positions.

Nonetheless the home pack was becoming increasingly effective and in the last ten minutes of the half most of the game was in the visitors’ 22.

A Sevenoaks kick out of their 22 was now fielded by Liam Dunkley who shrugged off two tacklers to find Lucas Cuming who made good ground before releasing Jay Massey-Taylor to finish well, converted by Toby Simpson.

Early in the second half Harry Slinnhawkins made a dynamic run in heavy traffic and Heathfield were much on the front foot. After 15 minutes Massey-Taylor made a superbly timed run to wrongfoot many defenders and although he was eventually brought down, quick ball was worked wide left for Cuming to score on the left hand side.

Cuming and Tom Cornwall combined well in a move into the right hand bottom corner but Cornwall was just denied by a brave defensive rip when over the line. However Sevenoaks could not deny Cornwall a deserved try when he worked his way over on the left hand side after more repeated phases with 15 minutes remaining.

The 17-14 scoreline meant that the last few minutes were tense for the home support as the visitors‘ speedy backs always looked dangerous but they were generally pinned back in their own 22. Sevenoaks were also handicapped by their own indiscipline and it was no surprise when one of their second row was binned for backchat.

Another Heathfield attack dropped the ball just short of the line but home nerves were finally soothed as Sevenoaks tried to run good scrum ball out of defence only for a penalty for crossing to give Simpson an easy three points and the final whistle went soon afterwards.

After a week’s rest Heathfield next visit Ashford (12 Oct 3.00)