HEATH ROUND OFF THE SEASON IN STYLE AS KENDAL PUNISHED BY EIGHT TRY HAUL

Selection:

O Cook,  A McFadden,  C Haigh,  P Hampshire,  A Patrick,  B Stringer,  D Brown, H K-Payne.

S Cox ,  C Johnson,  J Haynes,  E Hinchliffe,  C H-Brown,  E Spiers,  J Bruce.

C Moore,  S Boussaada,  F Marsden.

Scorers

J Haynes, tries x 3.  Tries x 1:  C H-Brown,  A McFadden, J Bruce, E Spiers, D Brown.

Scoring Timeline:  Here.  

Match Report.

Heath entertained Kendal in the final league game of the season. Jake Haynes returned on the wing hoping to add to his tally, which sees him top the try scoring charts, while there was a debut for Dylan Brown who replaced the injured Jonny Cole. Conditions were ideal for an open game although a strong wind across the pitch may cause difficulties.

Kendal kicked off with Heath playing towards the river end and early exchanges saw both teams, who were prepared to run with the ball, testing each other out. Kendal had come for the battle and, after a couple of off the ball altercations, a penalty to Heath saw Chris Johnson find touch in the corner. Ben Stringer secured the line out and the drive was on as Olly Cook and Harvey Keighley-Payne made inroads into the visitors' defence.  The ball was spun out and Callum Harriott-Brown touched down in the corner for the opening try. The wind affected Chris Johnsons conversion, 5-0 with thirteen minutes played.

Heath were playing with confidence, were prepared to throw the ball around and in yet another break from Harriott-Brown it came out to Jake Haynes who scored in the corner, 10-0 with twenty minutes played and five minutes later Harriott-Brown and Jack Bruce linked up to enable Haynes to add his second try, 15-0.

The visitors struggled to keep hold of the ball as Heath went in search of more tries and when Dylan Brown robbed it in a tackle, his pass to Elliott Spiers saw the wingman kick the ball for the corner and it was a line out to Heath, five metres from Kendals try-line. Harvey Keighley-Payne secured the ball and from the drive Alex McFadden emerged for a try, this time converted by Chris Johnson and a score of 22-0 with thirty minutes on the clock.

Seif Boussaada and Chris Moore replaced Pete Hampshire and Olly Cook and both were quickly involved in the action, setting up another opportunity for the home side to add to their tally. Kendal struggled to contain the onslaught and once again the try machine that is Jake Haynes rounded off some superb handling to register his hat trick 27-0 with five minutes to half time. Kendal did try to get on the scoreboard but Heath were in no mood to concede and as the half time whistle sounded the home crowd were happy with what they had seen. 

The second half began similar to the first with both teams prepared to run with the ball, looking to get a score but it wasn’t until the fiftieth minute that Heath managed to find a gap in the visitors' defence. Kendal were penalised and from Johnson's kick he found touch in the corner. Line ball was secured by Ben Stringer and after the drive it was spun out across the back line for Jack Bruce to score a try in the opposite corner, 32-0.  Kendal continued to struggle to get out of their own half and, in their first inroad into the Heath 22, as the hour mark approached, they found the home side in a miserly mood - denying them any score.

Alex Patrick came off for Fergus Marsden with Heath looking for a break and it came in unusual fashion. With Heath once again in the Kendal half an outrageous dummy from Chris Johnson saw him release the supporting Seif Boussaada who charged for the try-line and Elliott Spiers was on hand to take over securing the ball to score a try, converted by Chris Johnson and a score 39-0 with a quarter of the game left to play.

Once again great credit must go to Kendal who went back on the attack looking to get on the scoreboard and, after failing to hold onto the ball for a certain try in the corner, only a superb ankle tap by Saif Boussaada prevented them from scoring. A great break from Chris Moore in his own 22 saw the prop set off for the Kendal try-line but, thankfully, Elliott Spiers was on hand to take over though Kendal's defence covered and the chance was gone.

With full time approaching, and both teams still playing super showmanship rugby, yet another huge clearance kick from Johnson saw the Heath players go in chase and first up was debutant Dylan Brown who crossed for a try, converted by Chris Johnson, 46-0 and it was job done. The final whistle sounded and Heath had completed the job they set out to do back in September. League Champions to boot and after being presented with the League trophy by Yorkshire President Tony McNally the celebrations began in earnest. 

It has been a great season and one which will live in the memories for all connected to the club. As my old mate Humphrey Bogart once said in the film Casablanca “of all the clubs in all the world it's little old Heath who are mixing it with the big boys in National League rugby next season. Bring it on!!” Lucky socks are now in the wash ready for September and to my reader thanks, I trust you have enjoyed scanning the reports and see you next season.

Tom

League Results:  Here.

League Table:  Here.

P 22;  W21;  L 1;  PF 983;  PA 363;  +/- 620;  TB 17;  LB 1;  POINTS 102.

Photography:

Andy Keighley and Bev Clough both in attendance.  More of Bev's shots of the game can be found here, on her Facebook page.  We've put a selection of Andy's in our Rugby News section, here.  Hope you enjoy them.

NB:  All links to other sires.  You are about to navigate away from the Heath RUFC website. Heath RUFC is not responsible for the content of this external site and does not monitor other web sites for accuracy.