HEATH MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON LEADERS BILLINGHAM AFTER OVERCOMING VISITORS WEST BRIDGFORD

Selection
15 Eddie Cartwright 14 Elliott Spiers 13 Joe Morrison 12 Jack Malthouse 11 Callum Harriott-Brown 10 Chris Johnson 9 Dom Walsh 1 Paul Turner 2 Alex Macfadden 3 Jack Pilcher 4 Matt Beasty 5 Saif Boussaada 6 Fergus Marsden 7 Jason Merrie 8 Ben Stringer 16 Tom Owen 17 Ian Downsborough 18 Olly Cook

Scorers
Chris Johnson 2 try   Elliott Spiers 1 try   Jason Merrie 2 try   Callum Harriott-Brown 1 try   Ben Stringer 1 try   Fergus Marsden 1 try
Chris Johnson 6 con

Report
Heath returned to action, following a five week break, when they entertained bottom club West Bridgford and managed to secure maximum points in a hard earned win. Heath gave a debut to Jack Malthouse at centre, after impressing with the seconds and, following the late withdrawal of club captain Chris Moore,  Saif Boussaada stepped up from the bench with birthday boy Ian Downsborough drafted in on the bench alongside Tom Owen and Olly Cook.

West Bridgford arrived at North Dean for their first ever visit and began the game full of enthusiasm pressing for an early score until Heath's Elliott Spiers secured a loose pass and he set off on a maizy run before releasing the supporting Ben Stringer when his sublime off load to Chris Johnson saw him touchdown for a first try and, after converting, Heath led 7-0 with five minutes played.

The visitors managed to re-group and once again began pressing for a score but were guilty of making mistakes at crucial points in their play. With Heath under pressure Jason Merrie broke free following a poor kick from the visitors and the supporting Jack Malthouse was on hand to make valuable yardage to set up an attack.  From a quickly taken penalty, Dom Walsh's reactions saw him release Elliott Spiers and the wingman scored in the corner, 12-0 with fifteen minutes on the clock.

From the re-start, Jack Pilcher secured ball and went on a typical charge before being tackled.  The supporting Ben Stringer was once again on hand to secure the ball and release Joe Morrison who slipped a pass to Jason Merrie who went in for a try in the corner. From the touchline a superb conversion from Chris Johnson pushed the score to 19-0 and Heath were in control with only a quarter of the game played.

Credit must go to the visitors who, from the re-start, managed to secure ball and keep possession and were rewarded with a converted try, 19-7 to keep them in the game. This seemed to jerk Heath into action and when Alex McFadden, Jack Pilcher and Saif Boussaada bulldozed their way through several attempted tackles, Heath began to pepper the visitors defence. Jack Pilcher and Fergus Marsden made way for Ian Downsborough and Olly Cook and both were quickly into the action. Heath were pushing for another score as Saif Boussaada drove to the try-line only to be judged held up by the referee. However, from the drop out West Bridgford were caught off-side and Heath opted for the scrum in front of the visitors posts. From the resulting drive, Ben Stringer was on hand to score the try, converted by Chris Johnson and a score of 26-7 with thirty minutes played and the home side were well in control.

Heath were now playing with confidence and began to go in search of adding to the score but as the clock ticked by half time arrived much to the relief of the visiting team.

Tom Owen replaced Elliott Spiers at the start of the second half and he was quickly into the action.  Following a powerful run from Jason Merrie, Owen was on hand to receive the pass and he quickly spun the ball out to the supporting Callum Harriott-Brown who went over for a try, converted by Johnson 33-7 in the first minute of the second half.

An injury to Ben Stringer at the end of the first  half saw him replaced early on in the second half by Fergus Marsden and he was quickly into the action as Heath continued to press. From a line out, Marsden secured the ball and Jason Merrie was on hand to score a try 38-7 with fifty minutes played.

Eddie Cartwright and Saif Boussaada were replaced by Elliott Spiers and Jack Pilcher as the coaching team looked to give game time to all the players and, from a flowing move across the pitch, Fergus Marsden was on hand to cross over the line for another try, again converted by Johnson and a score of 45-7 and Heath were in a rampant mood playing with bags of confidence - it came as no surprise to see Jason Merrie peel off the scum before releasing Chris Johnson to go over for a converted try, 52-7 with a quarter of the game still to play.

Credit must go to the visitors who, despite the score-line, continued to battle and they were rewarded with a penalty try following an off the ball incident picked up by the official, 52-14 and quickly followed this up with a converted try shortly after - 52-21 with ten minutes remaining.

West Bridgford were now looking for a bonus try point and they were rewarded in the last play of the game with a converted try and a final score of 52-28.

The victory for Heath saw them maintain third spot in the league but with leaders Billingham losing at Doncaster Phoenix and second place Alnwick winning at Cleckheaton the points gap has closed. Heath have two games in hand over the leaders and with Billingham and Alnwick yet to visit North Dean it really is getting down to the nitty gritty.

Next up it’s a trip to York for the Heath boys - always a difficult game. 

League Results:  Here.

League Table:  Here.

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