Beccehamians continued their recent good run of results with this bonus point win over a Heathfield side which lacked the accuracy and intensity of their previous week’s performance.
Conditions were excellent on a sunny day with a dry surface and a slight breeze across the pitch.
An early home penalty gave Heathfield a good attacking position on the left hand side. Solid lineout ball was moved into midfield and a set move saw Toby Simpson dive over on the right hand side for the opening try which he duly converted.
Almost immediately Beccs charged back and some slick handling down the right hand side, with their scrum half being especially effective, produced their first try. Their second try came from a good move down the left flank with a well-judged cross chip bouncing nicely for a chasing centre.
But this was immediately countered by Heathfield as a penalty produced another attacking position and the good possession from the lineout was carried up to the home 5m line. After a couple of phases Liam Dunkley dived over on the right hand side.
With barely fifteen minutes gone and four tries scored this was clearly going to be a busy day for the scoreboard.
Beccs had the better of the rest of the half as they now took a grip of the game that Heathfield never thereafter really challenged. Beccs had a series of attacks which were initially held up but finally forced their way over from short range.
Heathfield were still competing fitfully. Simpson went close in the right hand corner but was just nudged into touch. Another good position in the left hand corner from a penalty was spoiled when the lineout misfired.
With about ten minutes left in the half Beccs collected their try bonus point from a tap penalty on the right hand side. Nonetheless Heathfield finished the half well with pressure into the home half and a penalty at the scrum, giving a foretaste of events in the second half, although they could not trouble the scoreboard.
The second half started as the first had with a simple try for the team playing up the slope. Good hands gave Beccs their fifth try on the right hand side.
However the next period of play belongs to the Heathfield scrummage and especially the front row which has had a difficult time in recent years. Olly Smith, who played the full 80 today, has made a huge difference this season providing useful technical expertise and this showed as all of the other front row members contributed to the dominance in that phase. Credit to Aaron Stonell, Chris Baker-Butler, Craig Marti and especially Olly Tooke.
Repeated scrums, and scrum penalties, on the home 5m line now allowed Tom Tingley to bosh his way over for a try and Heathfield were starting to think about a fourth and bonus point try.
Entering the last quarter this looked unlikely as Beccs worked their way into the visitors’ half. However they then chose to try to kick for goal from wideout near the 10m line – with the try bonus point secured and the win almost certain this seemed puzzling to me but a home supporter explained this by saying that they were all knackered.
The kick was short and run back allowing Heathfield to build pressure into the home half. From broken play Ben Irwin cleverly worked his way over for the bonus point try.
With a 9 point difference there may have been some faint Heathfield hopes of an unlikely result but these were soon snuffed out as more good Beccs hands produced another try in the left hand corner, and their first missed conversion on the day.
The last few minutes were only notable for another scrum penalty against Beccs which resulted in a yellow for a home prop – and Beccs choice to take three points in another penalty.
One positive on the day was the much reduced penalty count against Heathfield after some poor returns in that respect recently.
However after last week’s high quality this was a disappointing performance from Heathfield with too many missed tackles in a contest that would otherwise have been very even. Apart from the standout front row contribution, Gus Taylor was especially noted ball in hand while Lucas Cuming was a rare bright point in the defensive efforts.
Next week Heathfield entertain Ashford in the much deferred league game. Ashford today had an impressive away win at Park House, which is more than Heathfield could manage earlier this season so this will be a tough contest. (15 Mar 3.00)