Hawks unlucky not to get at least a draw.

Selection:

Cook, Burbidge, Heron, Barham, Haigh, Sharp, Knight, Ward (c), Rowntree, Thomson, Granger, Bloem, Bruce, Firth, Spiers.
Subs: Whitworth, Metcalf, F.Morrison, & Bloem (snr).

Scorers:

Try: Bruce.
Pens: Cook (2).

⭐️Star Player: Max Rowntree⭐️

Report:

The Hawks returned to headquarters looking to turnover a side that had beat them by 40 points last month.

In atrocious conditions both sides battled superbly to produce a highly entertaining game. Oliver Cook kicked an early penalty to open the scoring, with the visitors coming back strongly. Matt Barham, Elliott Knight and Sam Sharp led the defence superbly as Heath survived prolonged pressure. After a big hit in midfield by Jordan Bloem, Harry Granger hacked on, followed up to collect a spilt ball before popping up to Jack Bruce to dive over. Again, Wharfedale came back strongly, using their big runners to punch holes in the Hawks defence. Jake Firth almost got clear on the flank and Elliott Spiers caused problems every time he touched the ball. However, with half time looming, Wharfedale’s talented centre hit a good line to glide over from 20 metres. Zak Thomson’s knee injury flared up with Jamie Bloem replacing him. Half time 8-7.

Heath needed to retain possession and build pressure. Fraser Morrison came on for his home debut, replacing Sharp in the pack. Early in the half Jamie Bloem was helped from the field with a nasty ankle injury. Sharp returned and carried well from a spilt lineout. The visitors took the lead after a scrappy clearance was charged down and the onrushing attacker was deemed to have grounded the ball in the field of play.

The rotating front row of Cook, James Whitworth, Oli Burbidge, George Heron, and Chis Metcalf were superb all afternoon with the conditions dictating a scrum fest. At the back of the scrum the excellent partnership of captain Brook Ward and star player Max Rowntree tidied up and took it to the Wharfedale defence all game. Carter Haigh and Cook carried well but the conditions never let up and the slippy ball limited any fluency. With 18 minutes left, Cook reduced the deficit to 3 points with a well struck penalty.

Jordan Bloem looked to get his backline moving, again the ever-dangerous Spiers and Firth looking the most likely. Knight, now in the centre, and Bruce defended well as both teams looked for the next score. The Hawks dominated the last few moments of the game but Wharfedale held their nerve and defended well to see out the game. Full time 11-14.

This was another great game between two strong sides. The Hawks battled well all game and were unlucky not to get at least a draw. Onto next week at Sandal, a game the Hawks will look to win before the Christmas break.

UTHH 👊🦅