Good way to start the New Year!

Heath’s Under 16s kicked started the year with a convincing win. Visitors Barnsley provided the opposition for the second time this season. Injuries and belated festive celebrations saw the home side’s squad depleted to just 14 players, never the less Heath proved more than capable against a Barnsley squad of 23, fielding a full complement of 15 throughout. Callum Harriott-Brown opened the points tally within the first five minutes. Scrum-half Sam Sharp added the conversion and so it continued with Jack Fox and Jacob Holmes crossing in quick succession with Sharp adding the latter’s conversion. Barnsley then added their only points of the day next before Holmes crossed once more to close the first half at 26-7. Harry Hollingsworth took the first try of the second half, deserved so. Tries followed from Holmes (2), Harriott-Brown, Will Bennett, Arron Kelly and Ryley Cowgill with Kelly and Sharp also adding a conversion a piece (Holmes was unlucky to miss his conversions)taking the final score to 65-7. Barnsley’s defence let them down. Despite having some of the largest players in this age group, a lack of speed and willingness to tackle provided the ideal opportunities for quick footed Heath players such Holmes , Fox and Harriott-Brown and Tom Berridge, all of whom seemed able to move at will. As the game progressed, Barnsley’s frustration became more obvious. Notable performances from Sharp, who excelled as scrum-half and also had a near perfect conversion rate, Kelly, Bennett, Matthews, Walker and Wilkinson together with Sam Dews all whom stepped up to mark in the absence of others.