Cry-offs didn\'t help the cause.

Heath 2nd xv returned on their travels with a trip to Sandal for a Merit Table game. Unfortunately, it started to rain heavily approximately 45 minutes prior to kick off and continued throughout the game making conditions very muddy underfoot. Captain, Colin HEWISON, won the toss and elected to play with the wind and slope advantages in the first half. However, it was Sandal who settled the quickest with most of the play taking place in the Heath half. Sandal made their intentions clear by using their backline whenever possible. Early on, a Sandal kick through was touched by a Heath hand thus playing all Sandal players onside. This looked very dangerous until full back, Colin HEWISON, bravely went to ground to secure the ball with 2-3 of the opposition bearing down on him. The ball was then cleared to touch. Sandal continued to press and opened their account when they won clean lineout ball in the Heath '22' and it was spun quickly down the line. The full back made the first of several incursions into the line and provided the outside centre with a try scoring pass. The conversion was missed. 0-5 after 10 minutes. Shortly afterwards, Heath had their best period of pressure during the half. From a deep kick by outside half, Tom OWEN, a lineout was won in the home '22'. From this, the forwards gained possession and ran the ball through a large number of phases gaining ground slowly but surely. However, the Sandal defence proved extremely hard to dent and Heath lost possession allowing a clearance kick to touch to a point from which the initial pressure had started. From the ensuing lineout, Heath were unlucky when the ball was won and the 'retreating' but offside second row forward from Sandal made the tackle and it was Heath who were penalised for 'holding on'\' in the tackle much to the chagrin of touch judge, Alf BAXTER!!!!!! Heath were then unable to sustain any pressure and Sandal got back into the Heath '22' where, from a Heath scrum, the ball was kicked downfield and fielded by the Sandal right winger who, when tackled, passed the ball inside to his supporting pack and the second row forward charged to score a try next to the posts. This was converted. 0-12 after 21 minutes and it was starting to look ominous. Within 3 minutes, the lead had been increased in an almost carbon-copy of the first try with the left winger profiting from good handling by the backs. The conversion was unsuccessful. 0-17. After 27 minutes, Heath got on the scoreboard when Tom OWEN kicked a penalty from the Sandal 10 metre line almost in line with the posts. 3-17. Heath were then able to get play back in the home '22' and from a Sandal lineout, Mark MATTOCK, playing in the unusual role for him of number 8, charged through on untidy tap ball, he hacked the ball on and managed to grab it but he was halted some 5 metres short of the try line and the opportunity was lost. After 35 minutes, Heath were awarded another penalty on the Sandal 10 metre line and Tom OWEN stepped forward, once more, to successfully convert. 6-17. Heath continued to dictate matters up to half time but no further points were registered by either side. On resumption, Sandal ran the ball strongly at Heath and were soon encamped in the Heath '22'. A number of penalties were conceded by Heath but their defence held firm until it was eventually breached near the touch line by the Sandal prop. The conversion was missed. 6-22 after 45 minutes and Heath needed to dig deep. Play was now almost entirely being played in the Heath half but the lads still continued to tackle their opposite numbers and the defence was generally good. However, after 55 minutes, the scrum half scored a try under the posts after a number of forward drives had taken play up to the try line. A successful conversion made the score 6-29. Shortly afterwards, second row, Dean COTTON, had to leave the field with a fractured wrist and he was replaced by Alf BAXTER who slotted into the front row (Even though the referee enquired as to his suitability to play there---must have been the silf-like figure,Alf!!!) Sandal continued to dominate and the wing forward dribbled a loose ball forward before picking-up and scoring a further unconverted try some 15 metres in from touch. 6-34 after 64 minutes. Shortly afterwards, Heath were awarded a penalty some 30 metres from their own line and scrum half, Tom COLLINGE, took a quick tap and passed to Tom OWEN who went on a 30 metres long weaving run but he was enveloped by 4-5 Sandal defenders and the move broke down. The Heath line was defended up until the last move of the game which resulted in a conversion-less try for Sandal to make the final score 6-39. Heath took to the field with 5 of their originally-selected team not playing for one reason or another with veteran prop, Tim COOK, playing the whole game in the second row. They were always going to be up against it playing Sandal who currently top the league at both 1st and 2nd xv levels. That said, the boys were almost continuously under the cosh but their heads never went down and the tackling and commitment from 1-15 was very good throughout. Man of the match awards went to Mark MATTOCK in the forwards who had a strong game, putting-in a number of excellent tackles, several resulting in the Sandal tackled player losing possession of the ball on impact and also, clearing-up a lot of loose ball: and, scrum half, Tom COLLINGE, who basically played as an extra forward having to tidy up loose ball at the back of scrums and from lineouts and not being frightened to dive on the loose ball when required. He also linked well with his backs on the rare occasions the ball was thrown out.