Heath romp home.

Heath entertained bottom placed Redcar, hoping to clinch two vital league points towards ensuring League 1 Rugby next season. After the disappointment of the last couple of games, Coach Kevin Plant welcomed back, Chris Merrick, the Baxendale brothers and Alistair Gordon and had a strong bench with Andy Piper, Joe Shipman and newcomer to the Firsts, Tom Owen. Five minutes into the game and Ryan Piper opened Heath's account with 3 points from a penalty – given after the visitors were adjudged offside. Heath retook possession from the restart. First Merrick had a storming run, but failed to find Ashley Baxendale on the wing, because of a slack pass. But Hetherington gathered and linked with Martin White who this time found Baxendale who in turn set off to the try line, being stopped only by a desperate ankle-tap. It looked only a matter of time before the first try would come the West Vale Men's way and when Merrick kicked a well weighted ball through for Baxendale to chase, the young winner collected, beat the cover and touched down in the corner, Piper just missing the conversion but Heath in the lead 8 – 0 after fifteen minutes. From the next scrum, Heath's Cole emerged with the ball and from 35 metres out showed his pace as he won the footrace to score between the posts. Piper added the 2 for the conversion and the homeside moved on to 15 – 0 after twenty minutes. All the play was now Heath's, as was the next score. From an attacking scrum Ian Downsborough picked up from no. 8 and powered over for another Piper converted try. 22 – 0. Heath kept up the pressure, with fullback Hetherington popping up in attack, sidestepping opponents with ease and releasing both Baxendale brothers in separate forays. The pack began to dominate and there was some excellent play from Royston, Turton and Gordon with Richardson featuring strongly as well. But, despite this superiority, no more scores came along before the halftime whistle. The second half began much as the first finished. Keeping the pressure on, Danny Nolan charged through, Piper recycled, chipped through and then collected before laying off to the supporting Richardson. He in turn drove and was only stopped 5 metres short. However, Downsborough linked up and powered over again for a well worked try. 29 – 0 to Heath. Play then settled down and Heath didn't make the most of their opportunities, with handling letting them down on several occasions. The lull in scoring remained until Merrick went in under the posts and the score moved on to 36 – 0, with fifteen minutes to go. The pace picked up again as Heath worked hard to get more points on the board. It was entertaining play and when Piper released Hetherington an intelligent high kick tested the visitors' fullback, Currie, who failed to deal with it and Martin White collected to touch down. A rare missed conversion saw Heath 41 – 0 up with seven minutes of play left. Royston had already been replaced by Shipman and now Piper came off to give youngster Owen a run and Andy Piper came on for Grant Turton. Oliver Wilby then rounded off a fine workman-like performance for Heath with an unconverted try, out wide, for the West Vale men to run out 46 – 0 winners.