Heath win local Colts derby against Burgess Hill

The Colts teams had to adapt their play to a swirling strong wind and temperatures down to just 2 degrees above freezing (after taking the wind chill factor into account).

This did not stop Heath triumphing over their local rivals Burgess Hill (‘The Sussex All Blacks’) for their first much-deserved win of the season. Persistent rain at Whitemans Green meant the fixture was moved to the 3G ‘all weather’ pitch at Brighton’s Waterhall ground, an important Sussex facility that enabled a match to go ahead that would otherwise have had to be postponed.

With Heath fielding their strongest team of the season expectations were high, but it was a lively Burgess Hill team that started the strongest, enjoying the lion’s share of possession early on and testing Heath’s backs at every opportunity. Heath adopted a kicking game in the early stages and whilst their back line was strong, it was a Burgess Hill charge down and subsequent layoff that led to Burgess Hill’s only try of the game.

You have to admire any team who goes behind and then finds the mettle to hit back straight away - and that is exactly what Heath did. From the restart, to line out to try; it was as quick as that, Matt Cleary going over for Heath, immediately cancelling out Burgess Hill’s early lead and giving Heath a platform upon which they started to build.

With neither early tries being converted the scoreline stood at 5-5 and the bitterly cold wind offered no respite for players or supporters as it was strong enough to make any high balls totally unpredictable. But it was obvious that the game wasn’t going to be won by kicking for goal or for territory.

Ten minutes from half time and Heath’s ball handling started to improve with the boys stringing together some very good passes. Unfortunately for Heath though, during a period of good possession and with just five minutes to go until the half time whistle, fly half Matt Chandler took a knock to the head leaving him lying face down on the pitch.

After some medical attention he was helped off the field, promptly ending his contribution to the day’s derby. Matt’s replacement Elliott Watson was soon in the thick of the action and threatened to score with a very strong attacking run deep into Burgess Hill’s 22.

The ball was released and with just seconds to go until half time, Jack Best powered over for Heath’s second try to take the lead. A great way to end the first half with Heath leading 10-5.

The match resumed with Heath Colts buoyed by their two first half tries and this renewed confidence meant Heath were marching towards the Burgess Hill 22 early on. A sign of the difficult playing conditions was evident when on several occasions the referee stopped play for foul throws by both teams during the line outs; was this down to tiring players or the strengthening icy wind whipping across the pitch?

Try scorer Jack Best took a lovely ball from outside centre Tom George and running across the width of the pitch he sold a great dummy to the Hill backs.

The ball worked its way nicely through several pairs of hands and down the line to George Harris who sprinted up the left wing and knitted his way through a crowded corner to score Heath’s third try, extending their lead to 10 points.

Burgess Hill weren’t going to surrender quietly and, as Heath had done earlier in the match, they came back fighting.

From the restart, Hill were piling on the pressure and at one point Heath were forced to defend just metres from their own try line.

Heath’s scrums had been particularly strong throughout most of the game and perhaps it was fitting that it was a ball that popped out of a scrum that Haywards Heath won that found its way out to the left wing and into the hands of Seb Moore who eventually found a way over a congested try line to score Heath’s fourth and final try of the game.

Shortly after the final whistle blew, bringing the curtain down on a hard fought derby game between two very determined sides on a very cold and blustery Waterhall day. A great confidence-building performance by Heath Colts who deserved the win and can now look forward to putting all their hard work in training into action over the next few months.

Final score - Haywards Heath 20, Burgess Hill 5.