HEATH EASE PAST SANDAL WITH CONVINCING WIN TO GO TOP OF THE LEAGUE

Selection
15 Callum Harriott-Brown 14 Elliott Spiers 13 Joe Morrison 12 Ben Hall 11 Jake Haynes 10 Chris Johnson 9 Sam Cox 1 Chris Moore 2 Alex McFadden 3 Jack Pilcher 4 Alex Patrick 5 Saif Boussaada  6 Ben Stringer 7 Harvey Keighley-Payne 8 Tom Clough 16 Jack Bruce 17 Peter Hampshire 18 Josh Crickmay 

Scorers;  Alex Patrick 1 try  Callum Harriott-Brown 1 try   Tom Clough 1 try   Sam Cox 1 try  Chris Johnson 1 try Jack Bruce 1 try  
Chris Johnson 3 pens 5 cons

Report
Buoyed by an opening day win over Kendal, Heath made the short trip over to Wakefield to take on Sandal, travelling with the same squad. Jack Pilcher and Seif Boussaada started with Josh Crickmay and Pete Hampshire on the bench alongside Jack Bruce. As usual there was a strong contingent of Heath supporters to greet the players as they entered the field.

Sandal kicked off playing down the slope and early exchanges saw them put Heath under pressure and when they were awarded a penalty they found touch ten metres from the visitors try-line. Winning the ball Sandal drove forwards for the opening converted try, 7-0 with ten minutes on the clock.

Heath managed to re-group but they were up against a resilient home defence.  On twenty-five minutes, Tom Clough broke through, evading several tackles but his off load to Sam Cox was dropped and the chance had gone. Heath kept on the attack and from a scrum were awarded a penalty which Chris Johnson converted 7-3 with twenty-eight minutes played. Sandal were struggling to contain the visitors, giving away two further penalties, both converted by Johnson and Heath led 9-7 with five minutes left to the half.

Josh Crickmay came on for Jack Pilcher as Heath pressed for a score before half time. Following a crushing impact drive from Crickmay he off-loaded the ball to Alex Patrick who crashed over for a try, converted by Johnson and Heath led 16-7. Pete Hampshire replaced Seif Boussaada and was quickly involved in the action. However, Sandal were still in the game and in injury time scored an un-converted try,16-12, as the whistle sounded for half time.

The second half started with a bang, as Heath came out all guns blazing. Early exchanges saw Callum Harriott-Brown receive the ball on the half way line and with a sudden burst of pace he evade several tackles to score a try, converted by Johnson, 23-12 with only two minutes played in the second half.

Sandal were struggling as Jack Pilcher and Jack Bruce replaced Chris Moore and Joe Morrison on fifty minutes. Heath continued to look to add to their tally. Jake Haynes had a super run before being tackled just short of the try-line and with the forwards in support and Sandal struggling, they gave away a penalty and had a player yellow carded on the hour mark.  From the resulting scrum, Tom Clough barged over for a try, 28-12.

From the re-start, the ball was collected by Josh Crickmay who sent it out to Tom Clough. He made yardage before sending a long pass out to Callum Harriott-Brown who continued to make inroads into the home defence, before releasing Jake Haynes.  He linked up with Jack Bruce who released the supporting Sam Cox to score the try of the game. Chris Johnson added the extras, 35-12 with sixty-two minutes on the clock.

Seif Boussaada returned as Alex Patrick took a well deserved break. From the re-start Boussaada collected the ball and set off on a thirty metre charge before releasing Chris Johnson, who romped over for a converted try, 42-12, and Sandal were dead and buried.

Heath continued to decimate the home defence adding to their tally on seventy minutes when Ben Hall made a break, before linking up with the Heath back line and Jack Bruce crashed over for a converted try, 49-12. Sandal were back to full strength but Heath wound the clock down as the final whistle sounded to secure maximum points.

Two wins from two and top of the league on points difference as attentions now turn to the visit of Middlesbrough next week. See you there!!! 
 

Photos:

Bev Clough & Andy Keighley.  More of Bev's photos here, on her Facebook page.

League Results, here.

League Table, here.

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