Heathfield just overcame a robust Worthing 2nd team in a high-scoring and entertaining game with 11 tries in all and the result in doubt till the end. This puts Heathfield into the semi-final of the Sussex Bob Rogers Cup and the intensity of today’s game shows that this is a serious competition.
The pitch was hard and uneven in places with patchy grass coverage which may have contributed to the multiple injuries on both sides. With no significant wind and hardly any slope, conditions were good and enabled an open game.
Heathfield started with a bang as Aiden Plumley retrieved the kick-off and after a couple of phases the ball reached Tom Cornwall with a little space and he then worked his way through a couple of tackles to touch down under the posts, converted by Toby Simpson, with barely a minute on the clock. This was Cornwall’s 100th game for Heathfield and he certainly marked the occasion with an all-round performance and two more tries.
The game then settled down a little. The Worthing front five looked to have a significant weight advantage over the visitors but their over-enthusiam allowed Heathfield to collect a penalty and then a free kick in that phase. The latter was quickly worked through the hands before a lovely offload by Jack Pincus put George Hayter through a hole and he was in under the posts – 0-14.
At this stage Heathfield were looking a good side with their off-loading game causing the home side plenty of problems. From a lineout following a penalty Plumley worked his way over but was adjudged to have been held up.
Approaching the end of the first quarter more pressure resulted in a penalty chance, duly knocked over by Simpson.
However Worthing were a long way from beaten in spite of the 0-17 scoreline. Their scrum was causing problems for the visitors and this started to put them on the front foot. A penalty gave them a good position in the left hand corner and an efficient catch and drive produced their first try.
However Heathfield did manage to secure possession from a scrum in midfield, taken on by Jasper Folkes and after a couple of phases the ball reached Jay Massey-Taylor near the left hand corner and he still had plenty of work to do before touching down for the third try. However both Folkes and Massey-Taylor now had to retire hurt which was disappointing as both had been looking very effective.
Liam Dunkley replaced Folkes while debutant Zac Coxen took over from Massey-Taylor.
However Worthing now had a strong period. One attack into the right hand corner was just foiled by a fine turnover by Coxen. However soon afterwards a 50/22 kick into the same corner allowed them to take a quick lineout and catch the defence off balance for their second try. This was soon followed by another try – my notes just say ‘scrum’ but I can’t remember the details.
With the gap down to three points Heathfield might have been wobbling but another penalty provided an attacking lineout and eventually Cornwall worked his way over for his second.
The half time score of 19-29 was a fair reflection of the game thus far, but with the final outcome far from clear. Lineouts were generally secured by both teams while the home side had an obvious edge in the scrum. Heathfield had handicapped themselves with several missed penalty kicks to touch.
Worthing started the second half strongly and two penalties reduced the lead to 19-25. In response Heathfield started to build pressure back on the home 22. One Worthing break out was foiled by a sneaky intercept by Pincus.
Good possession in one corner, with advantage coming, was cross-kicked but Simpson in the other corner was just unable to control the ball. The subsequent penalty chance was just wide.
A few minutes later a Worthing drop out was run back and eventually Dunkley muscled his way over in heavy traffic for the fifth try. Then Simpson fly hacked the ball through from a breakdown but again the ball just eluded him on the try line. He will have better days.
With fifteen minutes left a scrum penalty allowed an efficient Worthing lineout to drive over for their fourth try. This was almost immediately followed by a Heathfield penalty for a 30-37 score line.
Worthing were now dominant in the scrum and penalties gave them a strong position in the left hand corner. Desperate defence on the try line finally ended when Dunkley was adjudged to have been guilty of malpractice so a yellow card and penalty try resulted, tying the scores at 37-37 with barely five minutes remaining.
Just as people were starting to investigate the regulations regarding extra time, etc the match was decided by good handling across the park by Heathfield and Cornwall capped his memorable day by diving exuberantly into the corner for the decisive score.
Before the game there had been some discussion in the Heathfield management as to whether cup game should qualify as caps at the same level as league games. The intensity of this contest will have ended that debate.
Apart from Cornwall’s 100th cap this was also the 75th game for Ollie Tooke and Reece Webb. These two were part of the front row today along with Hayter and replacement Rafe Gibson who all emerged with credit on an especially difficult day in the scrummage against sizeable and mature opposition. Hayter had an especially good day all round.
Coach Sam Goatcher was pleased with the overall performance. As well as those mentioned above, he also picked out Horatio Hellewell for his game control.
Next week Heathfield return to league duty when they entertain Ashford who had an impressive win last time out and who are always tough opponents. (4 Oct 3.00)