Bonus point taken from tough away encounter.

Heath travelled to a dark and dismal Scarborough looking to start the new year with a victory. Stephen Hare failed a late fitness test on his shoulder and reverted to the bench, so Olly Wilby came in after a long lay-off recovering from a broken cheekbone sustained in training. Heath made a solid start to the game with Hamish Pratt winning good lineout ball and, when Scarborough were penalised for a scrum infringement, Ezra Hinchliffe obliged with 3 points after 6 minutes: 0 - 3. Scarborough came back strongly and might have broken through but for some excellent tackling by Wilby and Alex Cust. Another attack on 14 mins was halted by Pratt and Chris Moore with Mark Puttick helping, but Heath were under pressure. Wilby was pulled up for coming in from the side and Joe Lenton levelled scores with a penalty to make it 3 – 3 on 16 mins. From the re-start, S'boro attacked and there were several missed tackles before Heath were pulled up for offside, enabling Lenton to put the hosts ahead at 6 – 3 on 18 mins. Heath then gave away a succession of penalties which Lenton failed to convert: on 21 mins, 25 mins, 28 mins, 30 mins (hit post) and 33 mins. Scarborough should have been out of sight at this stage but a clever kick through from Pollard put Heath in their 22. Once again the home side broke through to clear and pressurise the visitors. After sterling work from Josh Lister, Hinchliffe and Ewan Miller the referee awarded a penalty to Heath when S'boro went offside and the pressure was relieved. As half time approached, Moore was pulled up for an illegal tackle. S'boro converted the penalty to lead 9 – 3. There was still time for Heath to mount an attack and when Ryan Hunter won lineout ball, the hosts pulled down the rolling maul and had a player sin-binned. Hinchliffe kicked the penalty for Heath to turn round at half time, only 9 – 6 down, still in the game and even scenting a possible a victory. The second half began with a clever kick from Peter Birkett to set up Miller and Sam Pollard but the pass to Thackray went astray as an overlap emerged. From the scrum the ball popped out and S'boro kicked through. In the chase, their wingman, Lenton, only just outpaced Heath prop Duncan Edwards to touch down then he converted his own try to put his team ahead at 16 – 6 on 48 mins. Undeterred, Heath came back strongly on the attack. Puttick, Pratt and Wilby all had charges but as the ball was set to come out to the backs Heath were pulled up for holding on. Heath, now beginning to gain more possession after an hour spent chasing and tackling, were still looking for a breakthrough and coach Kevin Plant introduced Dominic Walsh for Birkett. On 65 mins, following a chase, S'boro were awarded a penalty for Heath standing up in a scrum. Lenton obliged and they then led 19 – 6. After that, another attack fell down. On 70 mins, Walsh released Si Brown on a run but the Heath centre was halted. Given a penalty for a high tackle, Lister set up a chance for Heath. Hunter won lineout ball, Darren Neilly attacked and S'boro were penalised for handling in the ruck. Heath were determined to score a try and persisted with forward drives. The hosts were penalised and No 10 Harrison was sin binned for dissent after ignoring a final warning to his team. The Heath pack battered forward and eventually Moore scored a well-deserved try leaving Hinchliffe with a conversion attempt under pressure to win a losing bonus point. He succeeded and made the score 19 – 13. Heath needed to hold on, which they did, and they went close to scoring again with a good run from Lister. Scarborough were glad to kick the ball off the park to end a game which they should have won comfortably but which almost slipped away from them.