A fine, if rare, away win.

Heath travelled to much improved Malton, looking to ease the disappointment of their home loss to Keighley the previous Saturday. Malton, for their part, went into the game brimming with confidence having won their last five league games, turning over leaders Wheatley Hills and Sheffield in the process. Some last minute adjustment to the Heath starting line-up saw prop James Watson remain on the bench and James Blackmore taking his place at kick off and from the off Heath applied good pressure as the pack drove to the host’s line, where they remained without score until Malton broke out. Then, with their first touch of the ball in the match, fullback Cook ran through a static Heath defence to go over for a converted try and a 7 – 0 lead. Heath restarted and quickly picked up a penalty, but the shot was pulled wide by Charlie Lomas, who subsequently handed kicking duties to standoff Giles Hetherington. The West Vale men continued to press for a score and on twelve minutes Malton gave away another penalty, for offside, and this time the 3 points on offer were collected by Hetherington. 7 – 3. When Malton were reduced to 14 men, following a dangerous tackle, Heath had a chance to further enhance their clear advantage in possession, when another penalty came their way, but the shot at goal missed. Undeterred, the visitors continued to win good ball in rucks and mauls and from one turnover set up a line out in the corner. After winning the ball, it was sped down the three quarters and then back again, whereupon winger Si Brown sprinted for a try, out wide. The difficult conversion was missed, but Heath were now 8 – 7 up, on twenty minutes. This lead didn’t last long as Malton quickly picked up 3 points of their own from a penalty, but Heath were playing a good passing game and this created pressure and chances, with the visitors looking to dictate play and camping in Malton’s half up to the break. On the restart, Watson entered the fray for prop Andy Pearce, who’d picked up a painful rib injury, but Malton were quickest off the blocks and were unlucky not to score after six minutes, when they were brought back for a forward pass. Next, a high tackle saw Heath’s Ofeina Hushon sidelined for 10 minutes and the visitors battled on with 14 men. After only a few minutes, winger Brown had to put in a try saving tackle but relief was short-lived as Malton’s number 8 burst through for a well taken, converted, try. 17 – 8 on 55 minutes. From the kick off, Malton were penalised for crossing but Hetherington’s attempt to pull back some points went astray. None the less, the visitors kept up the pressure and as the hosts gave away more penalties, surging runs from Watson and then Spence saw Downsborough backing up to go over for a try, this time converted, pulling the score back to 17 – 15. From the restart, Heath were then penalised for crossing and Malton took their lead on to 20 -15, with only fifteen minutes of play left. A little indiscipline crept in on a few occasions and Heath could have been punished with more points, but shots at goal went wide. Next, winger Josh Lister was replaced by Eddie Cartwright, who straight away made good yards with his first touch of the ball. Heath were now looking for the elusive score, with Brown, Lomas and Cartwright all making penetrating, jinking runs, but they didn’t break the home defence. Undeterred, they kept attacking and from a line, 15 metres out, a clean take and driving maul saw the home defence finally crack and Spence blast over for a well-worked try. The fine conversion from Hetherington put Heath back in the driving seat at 22 – 20, with three minutes left. With the home crowd urging Malton on, the hosts drove back to the Heath 22 and were rewarded with one final penalty, 10 metres in from the touchline. With the last throw of the die, the shot went wide and Heath held out until the final whistle blew. Coming away well deserved victors after an entertaining and well contested game of rugby.