A real game of two halves.

Heath 1st XV. Heath kicked off with a team showing many changes from last week’s game against Ripon. From the start they struggled to cope with a big strong Selby XV and were under the cosh when the visitors were awarded but failed to score from a penalty on 7 minutes. On 10 minutes winger Mick Gleeson made an excellent clearance, which set up a Heath attack when Joe Shipman won clean line out ball. But no score came from it. After 15 minutes Selby replied with a try by centre Austerfield, converted by stand off Porter. The reward for the visitors pressure saw them 7 – 0 up. Heath then kicked off straight to touch and with the resulting scrum-possession Selby scored again from this duo. 14 – 0 in the lead. The home side remained under pressure for the next 10 minutes but held out. After half an hour, Heath’s first real sustained attack saw a Piper long pass set fullback Tom Smith free and he in turn released Gleeson though a score was averted by a strong tackle by Selby’s fullback, Topping. A series of mistakes in passing and dropped balls saw the home crowd become disgruntled, which was made worse when the Selby winger Gable broke a Heath attack, seizing loose ball and running from within his own 22 to score in the corner. This converted try put the visitors 21 – 0 in front and matters began to look worrying for the home side as the whistle went for half time. Some stern words from Coach Kevin Plant had an immediate effect and Heath flew off the blocks at the start of the 2nd half. After 2 minutes centre Martin White went over in the corner for a try that Piper converted well. 21 – 7. Selby looked rattled and gave away a penalty 3 minutes later. Piper’s fine kick to touch set Heath up with the position but nothing came of it. Shipman was winning good line ball for the home side and the additional pressure this created saw Selby concede another penalty, from which Piper took the 3 points. 21 – 10. The visitor’s next score came from a strange decision and the penalty awarded moved them forward to 24 – 10. Shortly after that, their number 12 was sinned binned for dissention, and Heath took advantage with quick hands and slick play which released Downsborough to go over near the posts for a try gratefully converted by Piper. 24 17. The home side came under pressure again, despite Selby’s fitness levels, but stuck it out until Piper fly hacked through to see winger Brown set off on a scorching run, only to blocked before he could regain possession and touch down. Downsborough took the next line cleanly and the backs put together a sharp movement that culminated in Gleeson just being held up short. Heath were then unlucky to concede a penalty, which saw the visitors move ahead 27 – 17. But, they maintained their work rate and were awarded a penalty of their own, from which Piper took the points to move on to 27 – 20. The injured Brown was then replaced by the returning Nathan Field. Heath’s work rate and effort remained high and the pressure they put on was intense, with Selby looking beleaguered and with a home side score seeming imminent. Sadly for Heath, they failed to gain reward for this when the full time whistle promptly went.