5 pointer - just what was needed!

Heath welcomed Pontefract to a vital league game with the winner sure to move clear of the bottom teams. Kicking off, Pontefract put the ball straight into touch and from the ensuing scrum Ezra Hinchliffe found touch deep in the Ponte 22. Heath then encamped in the Ponte half for the next few minutes before a clearance into the corner by the visitors’ scrum half put them on their first attack. Heath got away and on 14 mins attacked when Ian Downsborough caught lineout ball and fed Dominic Walsh. He passed to Hinchliffe whose long cut-out pass put Matt Hallett clear to score a try which Hinchliffe converted: 7 – 0. Heath were now looking comfortable on the ball with Hallett, Stephen Hare and Ewan Miller each having an impact. An off-the-ball incident on 23 mins saw Hamish Pratt left prone on the ground and he had to come off for Darren Neilly to enter the fray (for 2 mins). On 27 mins, Ponte gave away a penalty and Hinchliffe moved the score along to 10 – 0. From the re-start the ball did not seem to go 10m but Chris Moore picked it up and Walsh, Miller and Jack Sheldrake moved it to Hallett for him to sprint 30m for his second try which Hinchliffe duly converted to give Heath a lead of 17 – 0. Half time came with Heath well in control, backed by their enthusiastic supporters. Pratt came off and Neilly went on. From the kick off Heath attacked and within two minutes a tap penalty was taken quickly by Neilly who released Hinchliffe and the fly half sliced through the defence to score a try which he also converted to extend the lead to 24 – 0. Heath’s pack was dominant, especially in the set pieces and the whole team was playing with much more confidence - so much so that Ponte looked down and out. For the next 15 mins they were under the cosh, giving away several penalties as they tried to stem the tide. Their No. 10 was sin-binned for speaking out of turn and the constant pressure produced another penalty for Hinchliffe: 27 – 0 on 57 mins. An injury to Cook saw McFadden enter the arena. Jeff Jones had to go off with an injury so Pratt went back on, at 62 mins. On 65 mins, the bonus-point try came for Heath. Following good work from Hare, Neilly got Hinchliffe away and he passed to Hallett for the fullback to stretch over the line for his hat-trick try. It was not converted, but the score was now 32 – 0. Cameron Ramsden took Thackray’s place with 10 mins left. Heath completely dominated the last part of the game and were rewarded with a penalty-try in the last seconds to run out comfortable winners by 39 – 0. This was a masterful performance by Heath from start to finish and they thoroughly deserved their win. This was a very welcome victory and, on this showing, there is more to come!