Haywards Heath happy with win at Barns Green

With a number of players unavailable through injury or absence, Heath again fielded a much-changed team featuring 11 players under-19, including three of this year’s colts.

Despite the inexperienced line-up Heath were quickly into the game attacking from deep with their three quarters keen to spin the ball wide meaning all the players were able to get hands on the ball early.

Heath made several quick incursions to the Barns Green half but solid defence kept them at bay, although they were starting to turn the screw with the penalty count.

More pressure from the visitors saw Barns Green concede another penalty deep in their own 22 which was quickly taken and put through the hands to the wing, where debutant colt Samuela Bulitkavale-Lancaster stepped inside the covering defence to score in the corner for 0-5.

Barns Green stormed back into the Heath half after kicking long with the wind but the defensive resolve was vastly improved on last week and the danger averted.

In fact Heath were playing with confidence and a break from their own 22 saw them into the Barns Green half where the ball was fly-hacked through from Chris Neill and then again from debutant scrum-half Jamie Thirst who was able to dot down over the try line to take lead to 0-10 after 25 minutes.

On the stroke of half time Heath were able to score their third try.

Two quickly taken penalties saw the ball moved wide left where a sniping run from Thirst cut open the defence.

The ball was recycled quickly and lurking on the wing, veteran prop Martin McDonagh needed no second invitation to power through the covering tacklers and touchdown in the corner for 0-15.

The second half playing into the wind saw Barns Green change their game plan and start playing pick and go rugby.

From the kick off they worked their way down the entire pitch and managed a score under the posts which was converted for 7-15 and very much game on.

The match developed into a pattern with Heath’s defence trying to prevent the Barns Green forwards trucking it up around the fringes.

What ball Heath were able to win they tried to move quickly to shift the home side tacklers around the park. Sustained pressure from Heath saw them awarded a number of penalties in Barns Green territory and hammer away at the line with a try disallowed for being held up.

From the penalty advantage the ball was spun wide where second row Dan Shotton carried just short of the line allowing open side Lewis Goodhall to cap another fine performance and crash over for the bonus point try.

Tom Wharton converted for 7 -22.

There was still time for Barns Green to come back into the game with a try of their own as they cut through the Heath defence around the side of a ruck for 14-22 but Heath were able to see out the remaining few minutes to the final whistle.

Coach Martin McTaggart was delighted with the response to last week’s defeat from the squad and particularly with the performance of the four younger squad members making their debuts for the team.

The teams will face each other again on Saturday as Heath play host at Whitemans Green with a 2.15pm kick off.

Heath squad: Martin McDonagh; Harry Edwards; Euan Greaves-Smith; Henry Dickson; Ellis Dubois; James Watson; Lewis Goodhall; Fraser Russell; Jamie Thirst; Chris Neill (capt); Samuela Bulitkavale-Lancaster; Jack Flower; Tom Wharton; Sean Fitzgerald; Mitch Day; Bradley Palmer; Emmett Edwards; Jack Hart; Dan Shotton.