Tough encounter but an excellent performance

Heath                    41           Tries: Jack Lumb (3), Matt Nicholson, Harry Stevens (2), Max Rowntree

Conv: Jack Lumb (3)

Wath                     22          

Forwards: 1) Jack Mollett, 2) Nathan Baldwyn, 3) Ben Kershaw, 4) Toby Laurie, 5) Jamie Reeve, 6) Will Simpson, 7) Sam McIntyre - Capt, 8) Isaac Shaw

Backs: 9) George Barton, 10) Ben Gianotti, 11) Max Rowntree, 12) Harry Stevens 13) Matt Nicholson 14) Dillon Hilton 15) Jack Lumb

Subs:, Finlay Verry, Andrew Coates, , Saul Marson, Seb Wood-Ives

Home again on the No.2 pitch in overcast cold conditions.  Heath made three changes to the starting line up with Ben Kershaw coming into the front row for the absent Callum Picket and injured Ed Vickers, George Barton starting at half back replacing Owen Simpson who is out for a number of weeks with a broken collarbone, and Dillon Hilton moving back to the Wing position vacated by George Barton.  The four-man bench consisted of forwards Finlay Verry, Andrew Coates, Saul Marson with Seb Wood-Ives as the one back reserve.

The visitors kicked off towards the No.1 pitch and a Heath knock on saw the first scrum of the match on the Heath 22.  With the Wath front row, and pack generally, being a much larger unit than the home sides, the Heath pack were up against it in the scrums but despite that competed till the end and with no front row replacements on the bench Props Jack Mollet, Ben Kershaw and hooker Nathan Baldwyn equipped themselves well.

Recognising their advantage in size Wath were keeping the ball tight with it not venturing past the first five for the first few minutes resulting in Heath conceding a breakdown penalty just outside their 22 before getting hands on the ball.  Wath went for goal and took an early 3-0 lead.

It was the visitors turn to knock on from the kick off and grant Heath a spell with the ball.  Straight away it was evident that while Wath might have had the advantage in size up front, it was the Heath backs that were a slicker unit than their opponents.  From the scrum in the middle of the field, George Barton sent quick ball to First Five Eight Ben Gianotti who put Centre Matt Nicholson over in the right hand corner.  Five points off the first touch of the ball.  Fullback Jack Lumb converted from out wide, 7-3 Heath.

Three minutes later, from the kick off the Heath backs were off again, with an excellent miss pass from Ben Gianotti creating the space to send Wing Max Rowntree off down the right to score in the corner and Heath to a 12-3 lead after 8 minutes.

The visitors went back to what they know and from the kick off rumbled up the park with their big forwards driving forward off the 9 and 10.  Their perseverance was duly rewarded with a converted try a few minutes later giving Heath had a slender two point lead of 12-10.

A good competitive spell followed , Heath sending the ball wide and Wath keeping it tight.  At around the 20 minute mark both sides made some enforced substitutions following a sideline “discussion” between the two sides.  The Heath coaches sent on all four replacements, Finlay Verry and Saul Marson into the 2nd row, Andrew Coates replacing Isaac Shaw at No.8 and Seb Wood-Ives replacing Dillon Hilton on the Wing.

A break from Centre Matt Nicholson took Heath into the visitors 22.  With the ball recycled Finlay Verry ran off Ben Gianotti into contact, presented quick ball for George Barton to feed Ben Gianotti who supplied the pass to Second Five Eighth Harry Stevens to go over in the corner for Heath to extend their lead with another Jack Lumb conversion.

Heath were working well now and the backs all combined for one last effort before the break that saw Jack Lumb dot down as the half time whistle blew.  Half time score, Heath 24, Wath 10.

The second half saw Heath kick off, one bounce into touch on the visitors 22.  Andrew Coates, back from injury that saw him miss all of the first half of the season, had been coming more into the game at the end of the first half with some big tackles and driving runs with the ball.  Two minutes into the second half one such run into contact again saw quick ball out to Ben Gianotti who with a short inside pass to Jack Lumb at pace sent the Fullback on a jinking run to score under the sticks.  With the try converted the score went out to 31-10. 

The kick off went straight to Andrew Coates who set off down the left hand side eventually being tackled into touch on the Wath 22.  Second Row Saul Marson was up early in the lineout stealing opposition ball which was gratefully received by the Heath backs.  Jack Lumb and Andrew Coates combined through the Centre but a penalty for Wath relieved the pressure on their line.

The visitors were next to score, again through working their way up the field in the tight to close the gap to 14, 31-17.  Both sides were playing good rugby of their own styles but it was Heaths wide men who responded and struck again with Jack Lumb completing a 21 minute hattrick, extending Heaths lead to 36-17.

Again, the kick off was received by Andrew Coates linking with second row Jamie Reeve through the middle who couldn’t quite get the pass away to the supporting Saul Marson.  Wath scored next closing the deficit back to 14 but with three minutes left on the clock Second Five Eighth got in on the action and finished off a good move to score an unconverted try and take Heath out to a 41-22 lead.

With one final kick off, No.8 Andrew Coates claimed the ball again and set off on a familiar route down the left kicking the ball over the defence only to be out sprinted to the ball by the Wath Fullback as it rolled over the try line.     

A good team effort with the pack having to work hard against a big opposition eight to give the backs the ball to do what they have been doing well out wide over the last couple of weeks.

Coaches Jason Merrie and Jack Crabtree gave two man of the match awards: for the forwards, Andrew Coates, and for the backs Ben Gianotti.