Heathfield 14 Ashford 10
Heathfield eventually secured a hard-earned win over the league leaders Ashford in a low scoring contest watched by a well-refreshed crowd following the club's VP Xmas dinner.
Conditions were generally benign with little wind on a day that felt more like September than December. Most of the pitch was in good condition although there was an extensive very boggy area in the bottom quarter.
Ashford started positively and soon had good position in the left hand corner but the home side were able to scramble the ball away. It was soon clear that the visitors would try to move the ball wide as soon as possible so an entertaining game looked likely.
Further visitor pressure in the same corner resulted in a line out from which Heathfield skipper Gus Taylor was binned for a no arms tackle. Ashford duly exploited the situation with a clinical lineout catch and drive for the opening score (0-7) after ten minutes.
The visiting backs were looking dangerous with their left wing Farai Myezwa particularly catching the eye. He never quite broke free not least because the home defence had an excellent day with good line speed – Tom Tingley was especially mentioned for some of his impactful efforts.
Neither side had control and around the half hour mark an exchange of penalties was a fair reflection of the game thus far.
Nick Cook and debutant Eoin Larmer now replaced Fergus Sweeney and Jeyden Rainbow.
The Heathfield scrummage had a distinct edge without completely overrunning their opponents. Fraser Goatcher, Dan Bird and Reece Webb have started nine of the ten league games so far this season and they are becoming an effective unit in the tight as well as all contributing in the loose with tackles and carries.
At half time with the slight slope in their favour to come Heathfield will have felt optimistic about turning the score around. This was soon confirmed as pressure on the left hand side produced good ball which was worked wide right for Larmer to make useful yards before Tom Cornwall made a characteristic run near the breakdown and Oli Robertshaw finished well. The conversion was missed so Heathfield were still behind (8-10).
Heathfield seemed to have some momentum at this stage with the pack in particular scrapping well but having lost seven of the previous nine games this team lacks conviction and the belief that will come with better results. By contrast Ashford did not lose a game last season and were unbeaten so far this one so it was no surprise when they rallied to charge back into the home half. Cook was now binned for allegedly taking a man out in the air although opinions were mixed as to the suitability of that decision. However Ashford failed to exploit the extra man and indeed Heathfield then had a long range penalty chance fall just short. Nonetheless soon afterwards Jack Morgan put over an easier chance for Heathfield to take the lead. This was the culmination of a sequence of penalties with an 1-8 count against Ashford in the second half at that point so it was no surprise that their no 6 Dan Sherrin was now binned. Sherrin along with fly half Ben Cooper were the two players picked out by the Ashford coach afterwards for their contribution on the day.
Soon afterwards yet another penalty allowed Morgan to stretch the lead (14-10). Fly half Harry Reilly had a generally good day with his distribution and line kicking was now pinning Ashford back in the bottom corner. He benefitted from scrum half Dan Jones being busy and effective, providing generally good service.
The last few minutes were nervous for home supporters as they recognised the visitors’ potential to score from deep. However the home team kept its nerve and shape with Lucas Cuming making a crucial last-ditch tackle on Myezwa, Goatcher making a key turnover and finally Henry Ross stealing a critical lineout ball when an Ashford catch and drive looked likely to deny a home result.
The slightly tacky and in places boggy pitch probably suited the home side better as the forwards really wanted the ball more while the home backs stifled the clearly threatening visitors’ back division. It is rare that a side at almost the bottom of a league defeats the unbeaten league leaders – and yet this result did not come as a surprise to those who have seen Heathfield’s games this year as this young side have been playing well without quite finishing games off.
Next Saturday Heathfield visit old rivals Uckfield (13 Dec 2.00) for what promises to be a classic local derby.