Strong performance for Heath 2nd XV at Hove

Conditions were good and Heath made the most of them as within minutes of the start the ball was worked wide to veteran club captain Kevin McDonald who carved his way through three Hove defenders to score a try that was converted. 7-0 to Heath after two minutes.

The game settled down with both sides trying to gain territorial supremacy. After 20 minutes the ball was worked well down the threequarters by Heath where they almost scored in the corner - from the resulting clearance Heath moved the ball again and and this time Ali Fraser was able to beat his opposite man for pace and cross the whitewash for another converted try. 14-0 to Heath.

Hove were not fazed by the score and came storming back into the game with a number of good forward drives gaining them a foothold in the Heath 22 leading to a try for the home team and taking the score to 14-5. With the game in the balance Heath knuckled down and were able to provide a platform for returning Heath winger Roscoe Atkins, who was playing at full back, to show his class with three very good tries in the space of just 20 minutes. Two tries towards the end of the first half from Atkins, one following quick and clean line out ball from the pack, took the score to 26-5 to Heath at half time.

After ringing the changes off the bench Heath picked up in the second half where they had left off with Atkins hitting the line with a great angled run and then cutting back through the Hove defence to score under the posts for another converted score and making it 33-5 to Heath. Within minutes Heath were back on the board again with the try of the game as second row Tom Burns picked up the ball on the Heath 10 yard line and set off on a bullocking run. The Hove defence couldn’t cope and it wasn’t until the their own 22 that they managed to halt the run only for Burns to manage a back of the hand off load to winger Matt Griggs who powered through four defenders and crashed over in the corner. The ball was stroked through the posts from the touchline by Jack Best for a 40-5 lead.

Heath were not finished and when new recruit Paddy Sands-Renton showed real strength and speed to blast his way through the Hove defence from 25 metres out the score rattled on to 47-5. The visitors continued to press on and after great work from the forwards at the breakdown the ball was worked wide to winger Mark Sole to scoot in under the posts for 54-5. The final Heath score came from a delicate little chip through from substitute scrum half Guy Sands-Renton which was collected by Jack Best who scored the try and converted it to take his personal tally for the day to 21 points giving Heath a 61-5 lead.

The last score of the game was a well taken consolation try for the Hove outside centre who broke through a number of Heath tackles to score in the corner and make the score at the final whistle 61-10. A really good performance from Heath 2nd XV on the road and one that takes them to the top of the table in Sussex 3 . The next game is at home to BSMS (Medics) on the 24 October.

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