HEATH LOSE OUT TO SANDAL WHO SNATCH WIN WITH TRY IN LAST MINUTE

Selections
15 Dan Cole 14 Elliott Spiers 13 Jack Malthouse 12 Sam Fletcher 11 Callum Harriott-Brown 10 Chris Johnson 9 Dom Walsh 1 Paul Turner 2 Alex McFadden 3 Chris Moore 4 Matt Beasty 5 Fergus Marsden 6 Jason Merrie 7 Elliott Knight 8 Ben Stringer 16 Jonny Cole 17 Joe Morrison 18 Olly Cook

Scorers
Ben Stringer 1 try   Chris Johnson 3 pens   Dan Cole 1 con

Report
Heath had to make enforced changes to the squad as they entertained in-form Sandal in a catch-up game following the postponement back in December due to a frozen pitch. At full back Dan Cole  had a starting berth, replacing the unavailable Jordan Bradbrook, and Jack Malthouse was drafted in from the seconds for a start at centre as Joe Morrison had a stint on the bench alongside Jonny Cole and Olly Cook.

In excellent conditions Heath kicked off playing towards the river end and were immediately on the attack putting the visitors defence under heavy pressure. Chris Johnson was splaying the ball around with his usual accuracy and Heath had Sam Fletcher, Alex McFadden and Ben Stringer driving into a desperate Sandal defence but despite holding the upper hand the home side could not get onto the scoreboard. Sandal managed to contain the onslaught and in their first forage into the Heath half were rewarded with a penalty conversion to take the lead 3-0 with fifteen minutes on the clock.

The lead was short lived as from the re-start a mistake from the visitors handed a penalty conversion to Chris Johnson and the scores were level 3-3. Sandal responded, putting together some strong runs and as Heath struggled to contain them Chris Moore received a yellow. The visitors opted for a line-out and drove over the line for a converted try and a score of 10-3 after twenty five minutes was well deserved. Once again Heath's response was immediate as Sandal had a player carded and Chris Johnson slotted the ball between the posts 10-6. With Moore sinbinned, Olly Cook replaced Elliott Knight and he was immediately in the action as the visitors mounted yet another onslaught into the home defence. Sterling work from all the Heath players prevented any further additions to Sandal's score and it was Heath who finished the half stronger with Ben Stringer going close and Elliott Spiers and Callum Harriott-Brown also pressing but there was no further score as the half time whistle sounded. 

Jonny Cole and Joe Morrison replaced Elliot Knight and Jack Malthouse for the start of the second half and Moore returned with Cook going back to the bench. Morrison's game was short lived as he received a yellow eight minutes into the half and Sandal took advantage converting the penalty to lead 13-6. Olly Cook returned, replacing Paul Turner, who had put in his usual solid stint, as Heath needed to respond but could find no way through a determined defence and it was Sandal who began to turn the screw converting yet another penalty to increase their lead to 16-6 on the hour mark. Heath needed some inspiration but could not break down a solid defence, despite Sandal receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, but eventually Heath had a breakthrough. With Heath dominating the scrums Ben Stringer was on hand to power over the try-line for a score, converted by Dan Cole and Heath were back in the game 16-13 with ten minutes left to play.

Heath were now looking for the win as Jason Merrie and Dan Cole made way for Jack Malthouse and Elliott Knight against the thirteen men of Sandal but Heath unfortunately had Jonny Cole carded as the game intensified. With the clock ticking down Sandals spoiling tactics resulted in a penalty and up stepped Chris Johnson to level the scores, 16-16. Heath were now looking to keep possession but from the re-start a mistake enabled Sandal to snatch the ball and they began to extend the Heath defence who were frantically trying to get possession and, following a scrum they took control, winning the ball, stretching the home defence and scoring a try in the corner. The conversion was good and as the referee sounded the final whistle Sandal had snatched the win.

The win for Sandal was a hard earned one with Heath putting in a below par effort as they struggled to break down a determined defence. This result and a win for Driffield against Scunthorpe sees Heath change places with their East Yorkshire rivals to slip to fourth spot and they will have to respond quickly with another home game next week when they entertain Doncaster Phoenix. See you there!!

There is some good news though.  Heath were lucky to receive the services of Sports' Photographer, Gareth Lyons, who took a day off from providing coverage of Sale, to visit our game.

Some of his photos are aside.  More can be seen here.

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Results from the rest of yesterday's games here.

LeagueTable here.

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