A win - despite a last minute "Heart Stopper".

Heath’s first ‘Coach Trip’ of the season was organized to the Dales with the declared intention of victory first and celebrations after – and what a game it produced! Heath were looking to build on some excellent results in their last four league matches. Influential prop, Jamie Watson, was absent so Oliver Cook took his place and Martin Moana and Jeff Jones were injured so captain Montgomery moved into the centre and Daniel Ramsden and Oliver Wilby returned to the pack. Si Brown took a turn on the bench to give Luke Clogher much-needed game time. In typical autumnal conditions, with the wind blowing off Ingleborough Top, ‘Ribb’ kicked off and immediately put Heath under pressure. The visitors withstood this early pressure and began to put together some strong runs from Ian Downsborough, Montgomery and Cook which resulted in Ribb giving away a penalty and Charlie Lomas obliging to put Heath 0 – 3 up, after 13 mins. Heath were beginning to play good rugby and when Lomas kicked high Thackray gathered perfectly but then took the wrong option, passing inside to Montgomery when Hinchcliffe on the outside was on for a certain try, on 20 minutes. Following a good run from Chris Moore, Heath were penalised and Ribb took advantage with a strong run down the wing and a pass inside to centre Hayes who went over under the posts. This was converted by flyhalf Moon and put the home side in front 7 – 3 after 24 minutes. Heath’s reply was instant as Ryan Hunter won a lineout and Moore crashed over the line, but he was held up. From the resulting scrum Downsborough quickly picked up and released Moore for an unconverted try and a lead of 8 – 7 on 28 minutes. Heath were playing well and Thackray cleaned up a loose ball and set off on a storming run but his pass to Ramsden went into touch. Ribb then put Heath under immense pressure but big hits from forwards Moore, Downsborough, Olly Wilby, Cook, Ramsden, Hunter and Richardson kept the home side at bay as half time approached. This was an excellent first half from Heath with solid defending and strong running from the backs but with Ribb also playing a fast, furious flowing style and tackling ferociously. With only 1 point difference, it was still anybody’s game. Heath started the second half with Mike Lammas on for Cook. When Hinchcliffe scooped up a ball on Heath’s try line, passes were interchanged with Thackray, Downsborough, Hetherington and Clogher to take play well into Ribb’s half and force a penalty in front of their posts. Lomas stroked the ball between the uprights and Heath led 11 – 7 on 43 minutes. The match continued as a good bruising encounter and 10 minutes later Heath gave away a penalty which sneaked in off a post to make the score 11 – 10 in Heath’s favour – at which point the game could have gone either way. From the restart, Heath were given the opportunity for a kick at the posts but Hetherington chose otherwise and an opportunity was lost. Up to this point, Heath’s discipline had been excellent, but talking back to the referee on 62 minutes saw Ribb’ miss the first of what became a series of penalties. 2 minutes later, Ribb missed another shot, after a Heath scrum infringement. Cook then returned in place of Lammas and Si Brown came on for Thackray to try to interrupt the Ribb flow. On 70 minutes, the hosts missed another penalty after Heath had strayed offside. Olly Collinge then came on when Downsborough was injured. There followed a period of ‘possession rugby’ from Heath as they battled to wind the clock down, but eventually they gave away another penalty which Ribb missed and Hetherington cleared their lines with a superb kick. Heath were under pressure from a lineout and Ribb knocked on as a try seemed imminent. Then, following a scrum, Montgomery burst through on a rampaging run half the length of the field as Heath clung on; but possession was lost and Ribb’s final assault in Heath’s half yielded then yet another pot at goal in the dying seconds of the match. It was probably the easiest of the series. Both sets of supporters looked on anxiously, but the pattern of misses continued and Heath won the day. This was a fine match between two balanced sides. Heath probably had the better of the play overall and moved a notch up the league table but with a goal-kicker Ribb would have had a better chance of winning.