Feb

18

Heathfield lost a competitive game by one try to two in poor conditions against a side near the top of the league table. Despite losing, this was a notably better team performance than the previous game with plentiful commitment from all especially in defence.

Heathfield won the toss and chose to play into the variable but significant breeze.  Early play saw the referee establish control with a number of early penalties against both sides.  The Brighton kicker was successful with two lengthy kicks during the first quarter on a difficult day for kicking (0-6).  

The home scrummage had a distinct edge and the home lineout looked secure while the visitors’ ball was often under pressure. After half an hour George Leney was replaced by Ollie Robertshaw making a welcome return to first team duty.

Given the conditions Heathfield would have regarded a 0-6 situation at half time as being very satisfactory but with five minutes remaining in the half the visitors built up a sequence of phases using their greater size in close quarter driving and eventually claimed a try near the posts (0-13).  The last few minutes of the half saw an extended period of play fluctuating all over the field and a score at either end was possible before the ball was finally despatched into touch.

At half time the threatened rain was starting to arrive and conditions were generally deteriorating.  Some early Heathfield pressure was rewarded by a penalty chance but the kick slid wide.  Home hopes took a serious knock when the influential Steve Petersen had to leave the field through injury.  His replacement Will Maxfield was playing out of position but made a committed and useful contribution. 

A Brighton blindside attack was well-read by Bryn Jones, who intercepted a pass from former Heathfield player Nick Cherry, and had pace enough to touch down in the corner (5-13).  The Brighton coach commented afterwards that they now recognised that they could not afford to give the home team any soft chances and thereafter closed the game down.  While this was a compliment to the home backs, it did mean that the rest of the game was dominated by the larger Brighton pack being very effective in their retention and control of the ball, their 3 & 5 being noted in particular gaining hard yards.

Some discussion in the clubhouse afterwards focussed on the visitors’ use of bodies on the ground in front of the ball but nobody denied their majority possession and effective playing of the ref.

Most of the last quarter was spent in the home half and the tackle count will have been impressive.  All the home front five emerged with honour.  With five minutes to go Ollie Smith, who had a fine day’s scrummaging, was probably unlucky to be yellow-carded although this did not affect the final result.  Richard Cooley as usual upset his larger opponent and did some sturdy work around the park but Ben Inglis was deserved man-of-the-match for his hard work up front, scrummaging and driving purposefully combined with very effective tackling and ripping in defence.

The extra man eventually told in the visitors’ favour as they drove over for the last score in the game (5-18).

This Saturday (25 Feb 2.30) Heathfield visit Tunbridge Wells for what promises to be a crucial game in an increasingly crowded bottom part of the table.