Heath RUFC Halifax

Match Report

Heath U15’s vs Keighley

14.1.18

After a long winter break that would see Pep and Jose itching to get back to work, Heath travelled to Keighley and were rewarded with an outing on their excellent 3G pitch.

Heath, with Assistant Coach Jack Crabtree taking the reins for the day, kicked off towards the clubhouse with Keighley showing their intent by immediately running the ball back at the visitors. With the ball turned over No 8 Isaac Shaw crashed through the Keighley defence to push back into the home sides half. Both sides were playing good rugby with direct running forward play before spreading the ball wide to the outside backs.

A kick into space from Centre Harry Stevens was chased down by Wing Adam Ayub with the scrambling home defence giving up a lineout 5 metres from their own line. The Heath forward pack secured good lineout ball and pushed on towards the home sides try line with Lock Toby Laurie going over near the posts. Harry Stevens converted to take Heath to a 7-0 lead after eight minutes.

The kick off found Flanker Andrew Coates who set off on a powerful run back into opposition territory, one of many that was to test the home side throughout the match. Play ebbed back and forth for the next few minutes and when Heath found themselves in their own 22 Isaac Shaw picked up from the back of the scrum making valuable yards up to the halfway mark. From the breakdown Harry Stevens kicked into the opposition half which was chased down by the Heath backs. A lineout 5 meters out from the Keighley line on the left hand side at sixteen minutes saw Isaac Shaw score in the corner from his signature move. With the conversion going wide Heath led 12 – 0.

Shortly after the restart Heath lost Centre Dillon Hilton to injury with Jack Lumb coming on as replacement. A good spell from Keighley saw them pressure the Heath side in their own half and score their first points of the match with nine minutes left in the first half.

With the home side knocking on from the restart Heath were back in opposition territory and five minutes after Keighley opened their account Harry Stevens ran wide and sent Andrew Coates over to score back round under the posts. Harry Stevens tapped over his second conversion of the day to take the score to 19-5.

From the kick off, Prop Callum Pickett, on for Lewis Dow, set off on a bullocking run into the home side half with his first touch of the match. Fullback Max Rowntree carried on as did Adam Ayub but when possession turned over Keighley worked their way back into the Heath 22 through their pacey backline. Half time was called with Heath back in the Keighley 22 and the score at 19-5 to the visitors.

Coach Jack Crabtree made a number of changes at half time with Zach Herman, Nathan Baldwyn, Finlay Verry, Owen Simpson and Seb Wood-Ives on at Prop, Hooker, Flanker, Halfback and Wing respectively, with Ed Vickers moving to No 8.

Territory and possession swapped between the two closely matched sides after the kick off. Good tackles from Andrew Coates, Harry Stevens and Finlay Verry kept the pressure on the home side but from a scrum just in front of their own posts Keighley sent the ball wide to the quick three quarters who ran the length of the field to score and narrow the gap to 19-10.

Excellent work at the breakdown saw Andrew Coates secure the turnover from which Ed Vickers charged through the middle but Keighley had the momentum and from a scrum in the Heath half scored under the posts to trail 19-15 eight minutes into the second half.

With kick off going into touch on the bounce leading to a home side lineout, Heath were putting pressure on the Keighley outfit and a mazy run from Jack Lumb only added to that pressure. With Andrew Coates having an excellent game on defence and at the breakdown, he received the ball just inside the opposition half and ploughed through defenders to score out wide and take Heaths lead back to nine points, 24-15 halfway through the second half.

A few minutes later Andrew Coates picked the ball up near the opposition 10m line and in similar fashion, leaving tacklers in his wake, made his way over the line and round to dot down under the posts to complete his hatrick. Harry Stevens converted to take the score to 31-15.

Keighley were not to be outdone and quickly responded through their quick backs with a converted try leaving the score at 31-22 with four minutes remaining.

With time running out Andrew Coates set off another of his now trademark runs scoring again in the left hand corner to complete his Haul. With only two minutes to go Keighley had one last rally but the Heath defence held firm with the final whistle blowing at 36-22.

An excellent team performance with outstanding individual performances across the park, but leaving a clear Man of the Match – Andrew Coates.

Result:

Heath 36 – 22 Keighley

Starting XV

1 Ed Vickers

2 Ben Kershaw

3 Lewis Dow

4 Jamie Reeve

5 Toby Laurie Try

6 Alfie Connors

7 Andrew Coates 4 x Try

8 Isaac Shaw Try