U16 narrow league loss after long trundle down to cathedral city

Heathfield & Waldron RFC U16 v Chichester RFC U16 – 17th March 2019
Result: 25-17 (win for Chichester)
April is the cruellest month, or so the saying goes. For this Heathfield side, though, it has proved to be March as, despite all their efforts, they slipped to another narrow defeat in these closing matches of the league season.
Having made the long trundle down in a flotilla of cars to the cathedral city, Heathfield kicked off on a bright morning. Early exchanges were marked by healthy competition at the marks, some good bursts from both sides, but also some handling errors which left the game in an uneasy stalemate. It was to be the visitors who opened the scoring with Sam Tiley knocking over a penalty kick in front of the Chichester posts in the 18th minute. Chi struck back soon after, their fly-half setting off an arcing and pacy run from his own half to score in the left corner. 5-3. The first half ended with Heathfield pressing hard, unsuccessfully it was to prove, on the Chichester line.
With the breeze largely now at their back in the second half, Chichester now began to push hard themselves. A cross-field kick, swirling and bouncing awkwardly for the retreating Heathfield backs, proved too difficult to deal with, allowing the home side’s right wing to pounce and score. A further surge by the sizeable and increasingly influential home side’s number eight, part of a strong back row, saw another well-taken try and the lead stretch to 17-3.
Heathfield, however, were to claw their way back into the game in what was clearly a pretty even contest. Ellis Wilson shone in the line-out; Jack Flint scrapped hard in the loose. Down the pitch they drove and, after a series of tapped penalties, replacement prop Jack Durnell forced his way over. Not long afterwards, Oli Tooke blasted through on a direct line to level the scores at 17 apiece, both tries being converted neatly by Tiley.
In the end, it was Chichester who finished more strongly. A quick tap penalty from the number 8 led to his second try from short range, and a penalty kick right at the death stretched the winning margin to eight points. The result sealed Chichester’s position in second in Sussex Division 2, with Heathfield (after an impressive season) lying just behind them in third.
Team: 1. Jack Langridge (c); 2. George Hayter; 3.Bradley Scott; 4. Jack Flint; 5. Ellis Wilson; 6. Sam Tiley; 7. Oli Hunt; 8. Dan Newman; 9. Ben Wyatt; 10. Finn Scott-Taggart; 11. Jon Beaton; 12. Stan Campbell; 13. Oli Tooke; 14. Cameron Reader; 15. Hamish McAlister
Replacements: 16. Jack Durnell (35) for Bradley Scott. 17. Freddie McKeough (50) for Oli Hunt; 18. Kieran Dudgeon (15-25) for Hamish McAlister; 19. Ben Bray (50-60) for Jon Beaton
Scores: 17 mins: Heathfield – penalty (Sam Tiley) (0-3); 25 mins: Chichester - try (5-3), 40 mins: Chichester – try (10-7); 45 mins: Chichester – try and conversion (17-3); 52 mins: Heathfield – try (Jack Durnell) and conversion (Sam Tiley) (17-10); 60 mins: Heathfield – try (Oli Tooke) and conversion (Sam Tiley) (17-17); 65 mins: Chichester – try (22-17); 70 mins: Chichester – penalty (25-17).