Haywards Heath win at Worthing - while juniors enjoy Harlequins Cup action

Worthing Azurians 8 Haywards Heath 10

When Worthing visited Whitemans Green earlier this season a rampant Heath scored 74 points playing a fast flowing attacking brand of rugby to which the visitors had no real answer.

On this final away trip of the campaign Heath encountered Worthing in a more combative mindset and had to dig deep for victory.

A Heath side with half of the matchday squad under 19 showed no early nerves and were an attacking threat from the outset with forays into the Worthing 22.

Barnstorming afternoon for Heath.

Heath thought they had scored on 25 minutes when a bulldozing break from scrum half Wilf Bridges saw him over the whitewash only to be deemed held up in goal. This seemed to boost Worthing’ and from their first visit to the Heath 22 they drove over for 5-0.

Heath stormed back and a penalty kicked up to halfway gave them a strong platform.

The ball was passed to MoM Euan Greaves-Smith about 20m out and he ran a hard line to burst through the first defenders before outpacing the cover in a lung-bursting sprint to score.

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With the wind in their favour in the second half Worthing kicked well to gain territory and after missing with one penalty were able to slot another for an 8-5 lead.

Heath, with a man in the bin, came back again and put pressure on the line.

With five minutes remaining and Worthing down a man after another yellow, Heath found space on their own 10m line. An incisive line break from inside centre Harry Shields carved a hole through the midfield.

He off-loaded to fellow centre Jack Flower who scorched in past defenders and score in the corner for 8 -10 advantage.

Heath managed the remaining game time until the final whistle without incident. Heath’s next game is against leaaders Shoreham, who are ahead by just one point, on March 26.

COLTS

Heathfield 10 H Heath 42

Heath Colts’ final league match of the season saw them win well away to a strong Heathfield side.

On 20 minutes good work from the Heath pack saw them move to within 10 metres of the home try line from where Otto Serjeant burst through the middle for 0-7.

With five minutes to the break Heath scored again, moving the ball wide for Jack Flower to fly past defenders and touch down.

On the stroke of half time a weaving run from wing Josh Abrahams was unceremoniously stopped by a head-high tackle in front of the posts – a yellow card for Heathfield and Henry Starkey slotted the penalty for 0-15.

After the break Starkey extend the lead with another penalty. A nasty injury to one of the Heathfield lads saw the game having to move pitches and a try was awarded to Heathfield after a kick through.

With 20 minutes left Flower outstripped defenders for his second try, then after good work from the forwards, full-back Dan Childs sliced through the defence for 5-30.

Serjeant scored again before a late consolation try for the home side pulled it back to 10-37. From the restart Heath fed the ball wide for Abrahams to burst his way through defenders and score in the corner. This week Heath Colts visit Edenbridge in the Sussex Cup last eight.

JUNIORS

On Sunday, the Heath U10 squad hosted Hove RFC for match experience for both sides and a Rugby-Mudder-style obstacle event to raise funds for the new clubhouse at Whitemans Green.

Great fun was had and around £250 raised.

Heath U11s spent Saturday playing in the Harlequins Land Rover Cup at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.

The team played highly competitive matches against Maidenhead and Warlingham and enjoyed a visit by former All Black and England coach John Mitchell, who had watched the youngsters play.

Heath U12s entered a team in the Land Rover Cup and against the backdrop of Quins’ fantastic facilities, they kept a clean sheet in their first two pool matches which took them into the final against Amersham. With three minutes to go Archie Coulson used his strength to score and put the only try of the game.