The side propping up the Sussex 1 League table visited the unbeaten league leaders on Saturday and gave Heath field a rude shock. The venue for the game was changed because the pitches at Burgess Hill were waterlogged. In spite of an excellent playing surface the game was a scrappy affair and a determined BH team gave their fancied opponents a severe examination.

Burgess Hill went close to scoring right at the end of the game at a time when full time should have been called and consequently Heath field only just escaped from the scrap with their record intact. Burgess Hill set out to stop the home side from getting into their stride and deserves every credit for so nearly achieving their aims. For their part Heath field allowed themselves to be disrupted and were frequently penalised for a range of unnecessary offences. They suffered two yellow cards whereas the majority of Burgess Hill offences escaped similar punishment.

Heath field opened the scoring after fifteen minutes when Bryn Jones received an inside pass on the Burgess Hill 22. He burst through several tackles and remaining on his feet used his considerable strength to force his way over for the first try of the match. Matt Skinner delighted himself and his skipper by converting sweetly from half way out.

The only other try of the match came after Heath field took a quick penalty after BH fell offside from a well executed cross kick. The backs handled well but Damien Pestell needed his power to finish the move and cross the try line. This try was not converted. Shortly before half time Burgess hill converted a penalty from almost in front of the posts to make the half time score 12-3 in favour of the home side.

Burgess Hill started the second half at a furious pace and put the Greenies to the sword in lineout and loose.Heathfield however were superior in the tight throughout the game and took a number of strikes against the head. By fair means or foul the Burgess Hill back row and particularly their scrum half disrupted any good ball won by Heath field and the home side’s distribution was as poor in this game as it had been good the week before. But great credit must go to Burgess Hill and with tremendous spirit they were in the game right until the final whistle.

This result will interest the sides who are due to play the leaders in the next few weeks, not least Brighton who will be at Cross in hand this Saturday, Kick off 2.15.

Report by Mike de St. Croix

1/12/2008 4:37:34 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)