Excellent all round disciplined performance from Heath secures all five points

Heath travelled to local rivals Old Brodleians for the first of the Calderdale derbies in Yorkshire 1 and came away with a hard earned win to inflict the first defeat of the season on the hosts. Returning to the starting line-up was club captain Ian Downsborough, in an otherwise unchanged Heath team, with brothers Dan and Jonny Cole returning to the club where they first started the game.

Old Brodleians kicked of down the slope with a strong wind at their backs and showed immediately their intentions as Dan Cole was hit with a late tackle as he cleared the ball - resulting in the first of a substantial number of penalties the home team conceded throughout the game. From the penalty Heath set up an attack and when Jonny Cole drove forwards, he was supported by Downsborough, Chris Moore and Olly Cook as Brods were under the cosh. A huge clearance from Brods saw Heath full back Jack Crabtree collect and he released wing Jacob Storey before he was stopped illegally. From the penalty and line out Matt Beasty won the ball and from the 22metre line Heath drove forwards to the try-line but were held up. From the resulting scrum Brods had no answer to the Heath forwards once again driving and controlling the ball over the line to open their account after 10 minutes with an unconverted try from Richard Brown.

The home side tried to press forwards but Heath stood firm as the battle unfolded. On 20 minutes Matt Beasty received an injury and on came Seiffe Boussadda who had an immediate effect in defence as Brods continued to press. Chris Moore, the Heath prop, was sin-binned for not rolling away in the tackle but this did not upset the Heath defence and when Dan Cole put in a super clearance kick Heath had turned defence into attack. Next Ezra Hinchllffe made a superb break before releasing Dan Cole who in turn passed out to wing Callum Harriett-Brown but Brods bungled the winger into touch as a try loomed. Heath were now looking for a further score but the home side held firm so Heath introduced Jordan Moana, who replaced Richard Brown on 30 minutes, to try and prise out an opening. Moana received the ball, following a line out won by Fergus Marsden, but was held up over the Brods try-line and when Peter Birkett released Seiffe Boussadda he was also bundled into touch by the Brods cover defence with a try beckoning.  The home side were clinging on, when Brods number 8 intercepted a pass he set off for the Heath try-line but the visitors defence was super quick in recovering the lost ground. Brods kept the pressure on but Heath's defence was sound and Jacob Storey was on hand to bundle the ball into touch in a frantic end to the first half.

Heath began the second half by going straight onto the attack and as Olly Cook and Jordan Moana went close to scoring it was left to Peter Birkett to throw an outrageous dummy to go over for  Heath's second try on 45 minutes, converted by Ezra Hinchliffe and a lead of 12-0. Brods response was immediate with a try from centre Jason Dodd and the extras from full back Phil Town, which reduced the arrears to 12-7 on 47 minutes. From the re-start, Heath went on the attack with Alex McFadden, Olly Cook and Ian Downsborough prominent before Brods gave away a penalty and Hichliffe added the extras for Heath to lead 15-7 after 55 minutes. Richard Brown replaced a weary Ian Downsborough as Brods responded again with an attack and Phil Town was successful again with a penalty on 60 minutes which saw a score of 15-10.

The game was opening up as both sides kicked for position and when centre Eddie Cartwright broke clear he was held up in the Brods 22 as the home side began to falter. Heath's pack was well in control but it was a penalty from Hinchliffe which saw the score increase to 18-10 on 65 minutes. The home side were beginning to tire as Heath began to move the ball across the field and, with Dan Cole in control with his kicking, only a last ditch effort from the home defence prevented a certain score for Harriett-Brown in the corner. He was replaced by Michael Reynolds on 70 minutes but an injury to Peter Birkett saw him quickly return to the action as Brods were under the cosh. Moana once again was held up short of the line before yet another Heath scrum saw Richard Brown emerge with the ball for an unconverted try and a score of 23-10 to the visitors, much to the annoyance of the volatile home crowd and some unsavoury off the ball incidents from some of the Brods players - which went unseen by the referee, but which have no place  in the modern game. Heath were not to be intimidated and went in  search of the bonus point try and were rewarded when a superb move from their backs enabled Harriett-Brown to score in the corner for a final score of 28-10.

This was an exciting and enthralling derby match, with both sides committed, but it was Heath's discipline and control and Brods indiscipline, as they saw their unbeaten run ended, which eventually saw the visitors retain the  David Littlefair trophy.