HEATH GRAB LATE WIN WITH PENALTY TO BEAT LOWLY SANDAL

Selection
15 Sam Fletcher 14 Elliott Spiers 13 Tom Clough 12 Ezra Hinchliffe 11 Callum Harriott-Brown 10 Chris Johnson 9 Dom  Walsh 1 Chris Moore 2 Alex McFadden 3 Josh Crickmay 4 Saif Boussaada 5 Fergus Marsden 6 Elliott Knight 7 Harvey Keighley-Payne 8 Ben Stringer 16 Dan  Cole 17 Ian Downsborough 18 Rondene Johnson

Scorers
Dom Walsh 1 try   Elliott Knight 1 try   Chris Johnson 2 pen 1 con   Ezra Hinchliffe 1 pen

Report
Heath entertained Sandal, looking to get back to winning ways against a side who have yet to win following narrow defeats to Driffield and Doncaster Phoenix. Heath made one change as  injured Olly  Cook saw Rondene Johnson, who had excelled in the Hawks games, replace him on the bench.

There was a delayed start to the game as both sides entered the field in similar colours so Heath had  to change into their yellow kit. Sandal kicked off playing towards the river end and a mistake on collection resulted in a converted penalty for Sandal, 3-0 with one minute played, not the start Heath wanted.

The opening minutes was littered with mistakes from both sides and when Elliott Spiers received a yellow card on seven minutes, Sandal took advantage and Heath conceded an unconverted try on fifteen minutes, 8-0.

Spiers returned to the action with no further score, Heath began to string together some penetrating moves and as the home side pack demolished the visitors scrum, Heath took advantage and Chris Johnson converted a penalty to reduce the arrears, 8-3, with a quarter of the game played. Heath were now getting into their stride but when a long kick from Chris Johnson bounced the wrong side of the corner flag play was brought back and Sandal took advantage, ensuring they won ball at the scrum and quick hands saw them score in the corner 13-3.

Heath did respond but found it difficult to break down a resilient defence though, after losing Chris  Johnson to a yellow card, they managed to keep pressing and were rewarded when Ezra Hinchliffe converted a penalty 13-6 with five remaining of the half. Heath continued to press but there was no further score as the half time whistle sounded.

It had been a stop start half from Heath with Sandal  just about having the edge.

It was a different Heath who began the second half with some slick passing. Tom Clough came off, with Dan Cole entering the field and when Chris Johnson found touch in the corner Heath began to  press for a score. Sandal were desperate not to conceded and lost a player to a yellow card as the home side began to take up the advantage. The Heath forwards were in total control and it came as no surprise to see Elliott Knight peel off to score a try, converted by Johnson, as Heath levelled things 13-13 with fifty minutes on the clock.

It was now a totally different Heath and with Josh Crickmay and Fergus Marsden making solid yardage Elliott Knight released Callum Harroitt-Brown, whose run into the visitors 22 saw him held up by a frantic Sandal defence. From the re-start, Heath were just too quick and when Chris Moore powered towards the try-line Ben Stringer was in support with Sandal all over the place. The resulting scrum saw Stringer control the ball before releasing Dom Walsh, who crashed over the line for an unconverted try and Heath ked 18-13 just before the hour mark.

With Sandal back to full strength they began to mount another attack but Heath were resilient and Dan Cole's superb clearance kick made valuable yardage to relieve the pressure. Rondene Johnson came on for Chris Moore but he could not prevent another onslaught from the visitors who were rewarded with a converted try on sixty five minutes to re-take the lead 20-18 and it was anyones game.

Saif Boussaada made way for Ian Downsborough as both sides slugged it out and when Chris Johnson successfully stepped up to convert a penalty - 21-20, it was now in the hands of the home side to hold on. However, Sandal were in no mood to lie down and Heath had to dig deep in their defensive duties. Mistakes were made and deep into overtime Sandal had the opportunity to snatch the win with a penalty, but the ball fell short, much to the relief of the home crowd.

It was a frantic end to the game but Heath manged to ride their luck and when the final whistle sounded there was relief all round.

The win sees Heath maintain second spot in the league but with a visit to Scunthorpe next week there is much to work on. See you there!

Today's League results here.

League Table here.

Matchday Programme here.

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