ELEVEN GAME UNNBEATEN RUN ENDED BY DEFEAT TO LEAGUE LEADERS

Heath travelled to league leaders Moortown for this vital Yorkshire 1 clash. Moortown last tasted defeat back in September when Heath won 28-26 in an exciting game and the same was expected today. Heath had Fergus Marsden returning alongside Seiffe Boussadda with Mattt Beasty taking a turn on the bench. Jack Crabtree started at scrum half with Eddie Cartwright moving to full back and Si Brown having a run out on the wing. Michael Reynolds and Richard Brown sat alongside Beasty on the bench.

There was a strong wind blowing down the pitch which favoured the home side in the first half and they took full advantage of this as Heath kicked off. From a long clearance from the home side the ball went dead and Heath returned to the Moortown half but had not really switched on and when Ged Innes received the ball he burst through a rather static Heath defensive line to score a converted try and Moortown led 7-0 with only 4 minutes on the clock. Heath responded with Chris Moore, Seiffe Boussadda and Jonny Cole driving forwards and when Heath were awarded a penalty Ezra Hinchliffe reduced the arrears, 7-3 after 10 minutes. Moortown restarted and drove into the Heath defence which looked solid enough before Russ Mull evaded a couple of attempted tackles to score Moortowns second converted try after 14 minutes, 14-3. Once again Heath responded and when Dan Cole put in an astute kick he set up another chance for Heath. Callum Harriett-Brown and Isaiah Spooner linked well in another attack and it looked as if Heath had weathered the storm and get a score. However, indecision once again in defence enabled Bernie Mualava Taulealo to skip through some woeful attempts of tackling to score Moortowns third converted try and a score of 21-3 with 25 minutes played. Moortown continued to find huge holes in a usually solid Heath defensive line but it was Heath who scored next with perhaps the try of the game. Heath drove forwards towards the home sides try-line with McFadden and Marsden going close. The ball came out to the onrushing Olly Cook and his sublime offload to the supporting Ezra Hinchliffe enabled the centre to go over for a try which he then converted 21-10 with 35 minutes played. Richard Brown and Matt Beasty replaced Boussadda and Ian Downsborough and as the visitors were re-grouping Moortown took advantage converting a penalty and a half time score of 24-10.

Heath were out of sorts and Moortown had taken full advantage and the second half began with the home side going in search of a bonus point fourth try. Heath were under the cosh and the game was slipping away from them as Ian Downsborough, Seiffe Boussadda and Michael Reynolds entered the arena replacing Fergus Marsden, Matt Beasty and Jack Crabtree but Marsden soon returned following an injury to Olly Cook. Eventually, the visitors began to start playing and went in search of a score to reduce the arrears. Dan Cole was working hard to get the side moving and his clever cross field kick found touch in the corner. From the resulting line out ball Heath collected and Richard Brown, Chris Moore and Alex McFadden drove forwards as Michael Reynolds probed the backline another clever kick from Dan Cole enabled Isaiah Spooner to scoop the ball up to go in for an unconverted try reducing the arrears to 27-15 with 75 minutes played. Heath continued to press for a further try deep into injury time but Moortown stood firm and secured a well deserved win to stay top securing the points and moving further away from the chasing pack.

Next week Heath face another difficult game when third placed Pontefract visit North Dean for another crucial encounter. No doubt they will be working hard on the training paddock to ensure they return to winning ways.