Heathfield 22 Aylesford 20
Heathfield edged past Aylesford in a fluctuating and entertaining contest that reflected well on all involved with a try in the last minutes finally deciding the result.
Conditions were good for the time of year with no wind and a generally dry but slightly tacky surface with the temperature a few degrees above zero. Heathfield were immediately handicapped by the withdrawal of Tom Pritchard with a leg issue and as the 2nd team was away he could not be replaced. This meant that Toby Simpson started on the wing with Jayden Rainbow moving to flanker although in the event this worked out quite well for Simpson in particular.
Aylesford opened the scoring with a routine lineout catch and drive, well converted. Indeed the visitors’ set piece was their strength which could, and arguably should, have won the game for them. At this stage most of the game was in the home half as the home side repeatedly attracted the referee’s attention with a sequence of penalties. This may have reflected the fact that Heathfield had not played for five weeks because of Covid and the holidays so were not properly up to match speed while Aylesford had the benefit of a game last week.
Nonetheless approaching the half hour scrum ball was moved wide right to find Simpson who proceeded to work his way along the touchline evading several tackles to score a fine solo try in the corner.
Towards the end of the half Aylesford secured a good attacking position in the top corner, aided by another home penalty, and their scrum edged forward before their fly half worked his way over from short range.
However Heathfield importantly had the last word in the half as scrum ball was again worked wide, with Simpson joining the line from the opposite wing at the right moment, and Jack Brown dived over in the left hand corner. Simpson impressively converted for the half time score of 12-12.
At half time the game was in the balance. The home lineout was having a nightmare against a very effective Aylesford unit and the scrum was under pressure. However there were some distinctly promising signs out wide for Heathfield with both wingers already having a try apiece. Munch May at scrum half was having a busy and productive day while Sam Goatcher was having one of his most effective games this year with tackles and surging carries.
Rob Nitman now made a welcome return off the bench taking over at flanker allowing Rainbow to move back to his preferred position at outside centre.
The half opened with a sustained period of Aylesford pressure into the bottom corner. On several occasions they spurned straightforward chances for three points (to their coaches clear unhappiness) and instead chose to scrummage. This finally paid off as their veteran scrum half bustled over from short range off the back of another strong scrum, crucially not converted.
Heathfield were trying to get their preferred pacy open game going and this seemed to be working as they worked their way up the slight slope with Fraser Goatcher making several effective charges. One promising attack was only just thwarted under the visitors’ posts by yet another penalty to allow Aylesford to clear their lines.
Approaching the last ten minutes more Heathfield pressure into the top corner resulted in the visitors’ no 8 being binned. From the resulting tap penalty the ball was worked wide left and almost inevitably Simpson capped his fine day with his second try on the day in the left hand corner. The missed conversion left the scores tied at 17-17.
Aylesford were in no way daunted and charged back to secure a penalty to regain the lead. However Heathfield now had the momentum in loose play resulting in another yellow for the visitors. Continued pressure and good hands allowed Dion Comerford to put Brown into the left hand corner for his second try on the day, collect a bonus point and to decide the match.
Rugby is sometimes described as a contest between the piano shifters and piano players – today the players just came off better. Bryn Jones at fly half had his usual effective game managing limited possession while all of the other backs did well – notably both wingers collecting a brace.
The match generally was robustly contested without any stupidity and Aylesford were more than value for their losing bonus point. It was enabled and enhanced by the quietly effective referee Lewis Franks whose almost only questionable decision on the day was for a pint of cold Guinness immediately after the game on a day when most of us were glad to be wearing thermals.
Next week Heathfield travel to the north Kent coast where they visit Gillingham whose set piece is normally pretty effective so at least one item of training this week at Cross In Hand is obvious.
In league terms Aylesford remain in a comfortable second place while Heathfield are still some way off the pace of the top three, albeit with two or three games in hand. The coming weeks with a game every week for the next eleven Saturdays will put pressure on Heathfield’s small playing squad. However as the atmosphere in the clubhouse after the game showed morale is high – bring it on!