HEATH RETURN TO WINNING WAYS WITH VICTORY OVER DONCASTER PHOENIX

Selections
15 Eddie Cartwright 14 Elliott Spiers 13 Jordan Bradbrook 12 Jack Malthouse 11 Callum Harriott-Brown 10 Chris Johnson 9 Dom Walsh 1 Paul Turner 2 Alex McFadden 3 Chris Moore 4 Matt Beasty 5 Fergus Marsden 6 Jason Merrie 7 Elliott Knight 8 Matt Beasty 16 Sam Fletcher 17 Jack Pilcher 18 Saif Boussaada

Scorers
Jack Malthouse 2 try   Jordan Bradbrook 1 try  Eddie Cartwright 1 try  Elliott Knight 1 try   Jack Pilcher 2 try  Paul Turner 1 try  Chris Moore 1 try              Chris Johnson 7 cons

Report

Heath entertained Doncaster Phoenix looking to get back to winning ways and made several changes to the team who lost out to Sandal last week. Eddie Cartwright came in at full back with Jordan Bradbrook at centre replacing Joe Morrison who had a run in the seconds. On the bench saw Jack Pilcher recover from injury and he was alongside Saif Boussaada and Sam Fletcher. Before the game there was a minutes silence for ex player Zak Dewhirst who sadly passed away this week. 

Conditions were perfect as the visitors kicked off playing towards the river end and it was a frantic start from both teams. An attempted clearance kick from Jordan Bradbrook was charged down and Phoenix scored a converted try 7-0 with two minutes played. Heaths response was immediate and a super break from Dom Walsh saw him release the supporting Jack Malthouse who went over in the corner, 7-5 with five minutes played.

From the re-start a Heath mistake result in a penalty conversion, 10-5 and six minutes on the clock. Once again from the re-start Fergus Marsden collected the ball and drove forwards before Chris Johnson punted the ball forwards and the chasing group saw Jack Malthouse win the race to touchdown, try, converted by Johnson, 12-10 with eight minutes played. Once again from the restart Phoenix were awarded a penalty, 13-12 with ten minutes played. It had been a frantic start to the game and after several handling errors from the home side Phoenix were able to capitalise scoring a converted try to increase their lead to 20-12 but Heath responded and re-grouped and when Elliott Knight won a lineout ball Dom Walsh was on hand to burst through a gap in the visitors defence. A try looked certain before the visitors number 8 deliberately knocked down the pass and received a yellow card. Phoenix cleared their lines and went back on the attack as the game ebbed and flowed but when Chris Johnson slipped a ball to Callum Harriott-Brown the flying wingman made forty metres before releasing Jordan Bradbrook who glided over for a converted try and the score was 20-19 with twenty five minutes played.

After this frantic start the game eventually settled down but it soon came to life again when the home side controlled a scrum, winning the ball, Dom Walsh fed Chris Johnson who in turn released the supporting Jordan Bradbrook who cut through the visitors defence before giving the ball to a supporting Eddie Cartwright who threw an outrageous dummy to score a try in the corner. Unfortunately, the conversion hit  the post but Heath had taken the  lead 24-20 with thirty minutes on the clock. Alex McFadden and Matt Beasty made way for Jack Pilcher and Saif Boussaada as Heath began to look to add to their score. From the re-start Heath won the ball and when it came to Jordan Bradbrook he kicked through to open space and the chase was on with Callum Harriott-Brown and Elliott Knight looking to score. It was the latter who won the race and touched down and as Chris Johnson added the extras for a score of 31-20 with five minutes remaining to half time. Heath were now playing with confidence and prepared to throw the ball around but there was no further score, as the half time whistle sounded, in what had been an enthralling first half.

It was the perfect start for Heath as the second half commenced. From a lineout Jason Merrie collected the ball and the pack made good yardage before the ball came out to Jordan Bradbrook. He linked up with Callum Harriott-Brown who was tackled but Paul Turner was on hand to charge towards the line. He was held up short but Jack Pilcher was available to barge through the visitors defence, akin to a mechanical warthog, to touchdown under the posts for a converted try 38-20 after only three minutes. Much to Donny Phoenixs credit they would not lie down and came back into the game. Sam Fletcher came on for Jack Malthouse as Phoneix pressed and they were rewarded with a try on fifty minutes 38-25. The game was a real battle as both teams looked for openings but when Fergus Marsden and Saif Boussaada drove into the visitors defence the visitors were clinging on with some desperate defending. From a lineout Merrie was lifted high but could not grab the ball and it fell into the hands of Paul Turner who gladly accepted it and scored a try, converted by Chris Johnson, 45-25 on the hour mark.

Alex McFadden returned to the action, replacing Chris Moore and he was quickly into the action defending as Phoenix went on the attack. Some desperate sandbagging defence from the Heath side followed and Matt Beasty had to return for Ben Stringer as Phoenix pressed. Eventually the pressure told as the visitors were rewarded with a converted try and a score of 45-32 with ten minutes remaining. Heath needed to respond and this came quicker than expected when Elliott Knight and Jason Merrie linked up before the marauding Jack Pilcher was on hand to score his second try, again converted by Chris Johnson, 52-32. Heath had finally cracked the game and were playing some super rugby. A blockbuster tackle from Jack Pilcher showed how determined the home side were and when Chris Moore returned for Paul Turner he was on hand to finish off a free flowing  move to touchdown for another converted try, 59-32.Fergus Marsden was replaced by Ben Stringer as Heath now were in rampant mood and they continued to batter the opposition and with several Phoenix players laying prone on the field it came as no surprise to see the referee blow for full time.

This was an excellent result for Heath. Credit must go to Donny Phoenix for their contribution to an enthralling game but they could not keep out a side who were determined to get back to winning ways. The result sees Heath move up to joint second in the league alongside Driffield, who beat Alnwick, and with the two sides meeting next Saturday it definitely is one not to be missed. See you there!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
 

Tom Walton

More Photos.

This Saturday saw another, independent, Sports Photographer come to West Vale for the Game - Vic Heritage. (Gareth Lyons, last week  here [You are about to navigate away from the Heath RUFC website. Heath RUFC is not responsible for the content of this external site and does not monitor other web sites for accuracy.]).

Vic has been several times in recent seasons and his photos are always of excellent quality.

Check them out:    here

Rest of todays results:  here

League Table:  here

(You are about to navigate away from the Heath RUFC website. Heath RUFC is not responsible for the content of this external site and does not monitor other web sites for accuracy).