Heathfield collected a home bonus point win over Hammersmith & Fulham (HF) to keep them in a solid mid-table place in Championship 2 with just two games left in the season. This was a decent quality game between two sides who like to play an open game.
HF had first use of the slight slope and perhaps some assistance from the chill breeze although that was across as much as along the pitch. Conditions were otherwise good with a firm dry surface just taking a stud.
HF had some early pressure with their scrum looking to have a clear edge. At one point Heathfield had to run the ball out from behind their own line. Dave Flower was noted with a couple of important turnovers which helped to relieve the pressure. Soon a penalty allowed the visitors to open the scoring.
Heathfield naturally responded and went close in the left hand corner but a knock on ended the opportunity and their scrum duly got the visitors out of trouble. More HF pressure was then relieved by a good counter-attack by Britt Mole and Chip Chippett which again ended up just short in the left hand corner.
Laura McGee now had to retire with what sounds like a nasty wrist injury and this was soon followed by Lib Lawrence needing replacement for injury. With two important players out of action the team was under some pressure – although Lawrence later returned to action.
Nonetheless Heathfield were often making good ground with Steph Ryan making numerous useful runs and Sophia Skinner carrying well in heavy traffic. Several people commented afterwards that Heathfield’s ability to keep the ball alive in handling moves was a key factor in the game.
On the half hour HF extended their lead with another penalty. However the rest of the half belonged to the home side. First Flower worked her way over from short range after a tap penalty. Then another attack into the left hand corner was just denied. From the resulting lineout the ball was moved into midfield and Maya Champion worked her way over for the second try.
At half time the game was very much in the balance at 10-6 although Heathfield had the slope to come. In the set piece the visitors’ edge in the scrum had become less obvious while neither side dominated the lineout.
In the event the game was pretty much decided in the third quarter. First Ryan made another big run which was taken on though several phases before Christi-Rose Pretorius was brought down just short of the line but reached out in a legal further movement to claim the try. Pretorius had been under pressure in the scrum from which she will have learnt but contributed fully elsewhere with tackles and carries.
Then Heathfield scored probably their best try of the day as the ball was carried through multiple hands before Chippett was able to canter over for the bonus point try.
At 20-6 HF might have felt that the game was slipping away from them but responded excellently. A strong attack into the left hand corner was capped with a precise cross-kick for their right wing Natalie Munroe to touch down.
There were now chances at either end. Skinner made one huge break down the middle but the last pass went astray. A big run by the HF full back Samantha Phillips was only halted by a brave last-ditch tackle by Mole. Replacement Clare Baker was noted with strong work in this period.
With about 15 minutes left HF did finally collect another try through some good handling from broken play to reduce the gap to four points (20-16).
However almost all the rest of the game was in the HF half. While HF did get one scrum penalty, Georgia Reed-Davies moved up to tight head and immediately earned another penalty to keep the visitors penned in their own 22. From the resulting lineout the ball was worked through several phases before Carol Saunders boshed her way over for the final score. A small scuffle then erupted but was quickly snuffed out.
The HF coaches picked out Munroe and Phillips as above but also mentioned flanker Beth James for her contribution. The HF back three are clearly a potent force but on this occasion Heathfield did just enough to contain them.
Coach Dan Suggitt was pleased with the overall team performance but especially the attitude shown by all the players during the game. The referee afterwards commented that the Heathfield game management had been a significant factor in the final result.
After a two week break Heathfield next visit Beckenham, the league leaders who may not have forgotten their only defeat of the season which was against Heathfield in January so it should be a decent contest. (19 Apr 2.00)