Hove finally collected the Bob Rogers trophy, presented by Bob himself, at the end of a quality contest with both sides scoring four tries and the final difference being just one conversion. Heathfield will feel that this was one that got away as their own errors, and especially a misfiring lineout, probably made the difference in a close, entertaining and fluctuating game.
Conditions were as good as can be hoped for at the end of May. The pitch immediately outside the Haywards Heath clubhouse was inevitably hard but did have patchy grass coverage to mitigate the impact. There was little wind to minimise temperatures in the upper 20s so this was a test of endurance from which both teams emerged with credit.
The first score came almost immediately as Heathfield secured the ball from the kickoff but the kick from the base of an apparently secure breakdown was charged down and a Hove flanker was delighted when the ball bounced kindly for him so he was able to charge over under the posts. The simple conversion gave Heathfield a seven point handicap almost before the game had started.
However a penalty then gave Heathfield an attacking lineout just in the Hove half on the left hand side. The lineout worked and the ball was gradually worked across the park through a couple of phases before number 8 Sam Walley arrived to work his way over near the right hand corner.
The contest was now properly engaged with both sides keen to move the ball. Soon Hove worked the ball to their left wing who often looked dangerous but Toby Simpson had an excellent day in defence and repeatedly snuffed out that threat with some clinical tackling.
Heathfield then took the lead with a carbon copy of their first try as good lineout ball on the left hand side was moved wide right and eventually Walley claimed his second on the day to cement his position as the team’s leading try scorer this season with 24 tries in 21 games. The conversion by Simpson gave Heathfield the lead of 12-7 at the first water break after a brief outbreak of handbags which resulted in Aiden Plumley being binned.
Perhaps significantly Hove did not manage to take advantage of the extra man during Plumley’s sabbatical. They did threaten the Heathfield try line with a couple of penalties and resulting lineouts but were either denied or held up so there was no further score in the half.
One of the decisive factors on the day was the failure of the Heathfield lineout. After some early successes which had led to the two tries, that phase then became a significant weakness and some good attacking opportunities were spoiled. Although Hove had a slight edge in the scrum early on, Olly Smith took over at tight head and stabilised that area.
Hove probably had the better of the start of the second half with most of the play in the Heathfield half. One attacking scrum 5 looked especially threatening but stout defensive work ended with the ball again being held up.
However approaching the end of the third quarter solid Hove scrum ball was moved wide right and their Kiwi winger Peter Drummond, worked his way over near the right hand corner. An impressive conversion took them into the lead 12-14.
Hove were then handicapped as a second row was binned for a dump tackle on Plumley. However the resulting kick to the corner for an attacking lineout was botched and thus ruined a good attacking opportunity with a man advantage.
After the last water break Hove continued to have more position and possession so it was not against the run of play when scrum ball was moved into midfield and for once the Heathfield defence failed allowing the inside centre (?) in under the posts. The simple conversion stretched the lead to 9 points (12-21).
Pleasingly Heathfield were now showing some urgency in their play and finally a lineout worked with the ball moved wide left for Archie Adam to score an especially fine try in the corner with at least three defenders draped around him. Thankfully the game was controlled by a team of three from the Sussex Referees Society so the assistant referee was on hand to confirm the score (thanks Oliver, Ben and James).
In the last few minutes there will have been many tired bodies given the temperature and hard ground. Hove now made what looked to be the decisive score as good scrum ball produced a try in the left hand corner but their kicker then had their only missed conversion. (17-26)
Heathfield were now playing with real urgency and replacement Craig Martin made useful ground into the Hove 22 before the ball was moved to Chris Baker-Butler who was unstoppable from three yards out. The conversion reduced the gap to two points so any score in the dying seconds would have been decisive. In the event a penalty enabled Hove to end what had been an excellent contest.
The Hove joint skipper Ian Saunders had been one of their standout players and his robust performance against Heathfield skipper Jo Lewis had been one of the key contests in the game from which both emerged with credit.
Both clubs can now enjoy some rest for battered bodies before pre-season training starts in their respective leagues at Counties 1 level.