Charlton Park 52 Heathfield 19
Heathfield opened their league season with a heavy defeat against a mature Charlton Park side. After the issues over pitch conditions and lack of match practice both clubs were glad to have a proper contest. Scorelines are normally a good guide but Heathfield will feel with some justification that this one is unduly harsh.
In excellent conditions on a firmish pitch with a fair grass covering the home side had first use of the slight slope and occasional breeze in their favour. Park opened the scoring after a few minutes when they exploited a penalty with good hands towards the right hand corner and a smart inside pass gave Reion Raybe a simple finish. Raybe is well into the veteran category but he retains a deadly finishers ability and duly collected three tries on the day.
Soon afterwards Park scored their second try with some decent handling again down the right hand side although even some home supporters were surprised at the way an apparently obvious knock on was ignored by the referee.
A 14-0 score line looked ominous but at the end of the first quarter Heathfield were just starting to put some useful play together. An attacking scrummage on the home 22 was exploited by Ben Irwin and then Dion Comerford who finished well through several defenders. Toby Simpson converted.
Park picked up their next try from a simple Heathfield error when a lineout ball was overthrown. Afterwards Heathfield players identified three such simple gifted tries which weighted the final outcome.
Comerford had to retire through injury soon afterwards, replaced by Harry Reilly, although he returned later and had a fine all round game.
Just after the half hour another Heathfield venture into the home half produced an attacking lineout which was driven on through several hands and Sam Crichton bullocked his way over from short range. The conversion was missed but at 21-12 there was definite feeling of game on.
Park were next on the scoreboard with good ball from a scrum moved into midfield where a precise chip ahead by a centre was regathered for the bonus point try under the posts.
At half time there were hopes that with conditions in their favour Heathfield could make more of a contest in the second half. However Park were able to exploit their increasing edge in the scrum to gain majority possession and an increasingly open game played to the strength of their Fijian contingent.
Park collected another try early in the second half as a dominant scrum ended messily in the left hand corner (33-12). Their scrum was led by another veteran Beau Stanford-Francis at loosehead who caused any amount of problem for the visitors’ front row, sometimes legally.
Heathfield were still contesting well and now had a period of pressure on the home try line in the right hand corner but eventually the home side worked their way out of trouble.
Park collected three more tries as the game increasingly opened up and the visitors’ defence was severely stretched. That they did not score more was down to some typically committed tackling by Tom Cornwell in particular with one tackle causing the home no 8 to have words with him, obviously of an appreciative nature.
A sequence of events and injuries have severely depleted Heathfield’s front row resources recently so it may be significant that Crichton moved up to prop in the last quarter and seemed to do well.
Heathfield at least managed the last word as some good handling into the bottom left hand corner ended with Lucas Cuming charging through defenders to touch down under the posts. Cuming had a generally decent and combative game.
In spite of the outcome Heathfield will take pleasure from several performances with Regan Law, Ellis Wilson, Callum O’Reilly, Ollie Batchelor and Callum Flint making their first appearances at this level. All did well and will have learnt from this tough introduction against some seasoned old campaigners. The youngest Park player was 25 which was the average age for Heathfield.
The coaches afterwards picked out Irwin for his committed and effective contribution at scrum half with honourable mentions for skipper Gus Taylor, Law and Comerford.
Today’s play highlighted how Fraser Goatcher will be missed from Heathfield’s front row as he moves to Leicester to develop his professional rugby career. His departure was marked by a party in the Heathfield clubhouse in the evening.
Next week Heathfield entertain Thanet Wanderers who have always proved tough opponents in the past (17 Sep 3.00).