Well, that was disappointing.
Crowborough collected a decisive win in this much anticipated local contest. Heathfield’s Christmas lunch had been well attended (and attendees were well refreshed, hic…) with multiple guests from Crowborough and Sussex RFU.
The pitch outside the home clubhouse started in conditions that the horse racing fraternity would describe as soft, heavy in places. In the event the lack of further rain and the strong breeze meant that it did not disintegrate as much as might have been expected. But it did mean that players and the ball became increasingly covered in mud inevitably leading to frequent handling errors. By the end much of the pitch resembled a poorly ploughed paddock. (Mind you, I wouldn’t know a well ploughed paddock but …)
Training this week had gone well with plenty of competition for places. At half time the visitors’ lead of 5 points looked very vulnerable. But somehow it didn’t happen and Crowborough are now the only team that Heathfield have failed to score against this season.
Crowborough chose to play down the slight slope and with the breeze initially. After some undistinguished midfield exchanges Crowborough opened the scoring with a well taken try by Jared Hermann on the left hand side as their backs linked effectively. At the time this seemed like the mere prelude to a high scoring encounter. In the event it gradually became a possibly decisive moment.
Heathfield did then have a good opportunity near the visitors’ posts – but for the second time in a couple of weeks someone forgot to tap the ball when taking a tap penalty. Doh!
Play was all over the pitch with chances at both ends. Aiden Plumley and Chris Baker-Butler caught the eye with useful lineout steals and a turnover at the breakdown. However neither side really had control.
On the half hour Heathfield Head Coach Sam Goatcher brought on Olly Smith and Dylan Eames, and the home side probably had the better of the last few minutes in the half turning over a scrum and making good ground with some good forward interplay albeit without reaching the visitors’ 22.
This may have meant that Heathfield went into the half time break with some momentum and possibly a feeling that they had done the hard work – with the wind and slope in their favour to come.
In the event Crowborough started the second half strongly and had some time in the home 22 but were driven back by some decent line kicking by Tom Reilly who used the breeze rather better than the visitors had seemed to thus far.
This led to an apparently straightforward penalty chance for Heathfield but the ball slid wide. Much of the game was in midfield with neither side able to take control – with the conditions making handling increasingly difficult.
Entering the last quarter Heathfield scrum half Ben Irwin was binned for malpractice at the breakdown and Oscar Thatcher duly collected the resulting three points. Nonetheless it should be noted that the referee afterwards picked out Irwin as one of the best players on the day.
Crowborough were now looking the more confident team and shortly before Irwin returned they collected another penalty (0-11).
Heathfield continued to press and an experienced observer (who is writing their match report so you don’t need to waste time reading it) afterwards suggested that the Crowborough defence had been the difference on the day. Another Heathfield attack was turned over and run back up the right hand touchline leading to a try by Sam Marchesi in the top corner.
There was just time for a final belated Heathfield attack onto the bottom corner in the course of S Marchesi earned a yellow card but the final outcome had been apparent for some time and the final whistle went soon afterwards.
The Crowborough coach Jody Levitt picked out Thatcher for his kicking and flanker Josh Rhodes as a key performer on the day.
The result leaves Heathfield in 4th place in the league with Dover and then Crowborough close behind. Bromley look nailed on for promotion behind the two teams who shouldn’t be in the league and can’t be promoted. This leaves the rest of us to have a thoroughly enjoyable scrap for the rest of the season – although all should be concerned by the two walkovers in this league today.
After the brief holiday break Heathfield visit Sevenoaks who have only lost two games this season – to league leaders Canterbury and at Heathfield in September – and they probably haven’t forgotten that. (4 Jan 2.00)