Heathfield 29 Cranbrook 14
Pictures by Velvet Turner
Heathfield secured a bonus point win over near-neighbours Cranbrook in a much anticipated game delayed by Covid. A decent crowd enjoyed a strong home performance in the first half which proved too much for the visitors to overturn in the second period.
Conditions were unusually good for February with a slight albeit chill breeze on a generally sunny day with a dry pitch.
Heathfield had first use of the slight slope. Some question my routine mention of the incline on this pitch but it should be noted that all of today’s points, except for one penalty, were scored at the bottom end. One observer suggested that the lowering sun in their eyes had an adverse effect on Heathfield’s performance in the second half: interesting thought but I’m not convinced.
Heathfield started well and even in the first few minutes it appeared that they had an edge in the set piece. The visitors’ lineout had a terrible first half and their scrum was already under some pressure.
Lucas Cuming was making his first start this season after recovering from a long term injury and he ran back a Cranbrook kick out of defence making good yards into the left hand corner. From the subsequent lineout Heathfield drove over the line but the ball was held up. Nonetheless Heathfield continued to press and more good ball was worked right with a Sean Crozier chip establishing a handy position in the bottom corner. The visitors’ lineout malfunctioned and Fraser Goatcher gratefully drove over the line to open the scoring.
Most of the game was in the visitors’ half and a penalty now gave Heathfield an attacking lineout a few yards out. The resulting possession was driven forward for Goatcher to receive the ball two yards out – no contest. Crozier converted.
In spite of the score line (12-0) this was not a one-sided contest and Cranbrook were being helped by the Heathfield penalty count with Sam Brown now being binned. However Dylan Eames stepped up to prop and the home scrummage continued to build dominance in spite of being a man short.
Heathfield were making many yards ball in hand with Sam Crichton having one of his most effective games in this respect, especially in the first half. Just after the half hour in a piece of excellent simple rugby Crichton had another useful carry, taken on by Gus Taylor and quick ball was worked left for Liam Dunkley to canter over on the left hand side. Toby Simpson converted.
The breakdown was being well-contested and at this stage Heathfield were just edging collisions. Dan Bird was noted with some solid tackles at close quarters while Jeyden Rainbow was making important hits out wide against the visitors’ dangerous midfield.
The Heathfield scrummage was having an increasingly good day and it was no surprise when the Cranbrook tight head was binned after another scrummage penalty. In the last play of the half Cranbrook were fighting back and looked to be building a good attack along the left hand side. However the ball came back too slowly from a ruck allowing Simpson an easy interception and he had too much pace for the cover: he duly converted his own, and importantly the bonus point, try.
The half time score of 26-0 was a reflection of Heathfield’s efficient use of plentiful possession from solid set piece. You shouldn’t lose games from such a position and generally Heathfield had the situation under control thereafter, not without the odd wobble.
Indeed initially Heathfield looked to continue their supremacy with some strong play into the top corner under the naturally placid and soothing encouragement from the home supporters (not!) but a couple of penalties ruined the opportunity and thereafter almost all of the game was in the home half.
Cranbrook charged back down into the bottom corner, aided by the usual home penalties, and the visitors’ tight head added to his eventful day with a try from a short range tap penalty.
The game was in the balance at 26-14 and Cranbrook had some momentum. Another score now would have been worrying for Heathfield but in the event their defence just proved adequate. The defence was led by skipper Taylor and he also had some strong carries off the base of the secure home scrummage. All 18 players put in a big shift in defence although the coaches afterwards picked out Crozier and Sam Williams in particular in this respect.
The visitors did get over the line but were adjudged to have been held up. Then they had another good attacking possibility with a lineout in the bottom corner but again their set piece failed and Heathfield cleared their lines.
A rare Heathfield visit to the visitors’ half at the start of the third quarter resulted in a penalty chance, gratefully accepted by Simpson, which stretched the lead to 29-7. Even so Heathfield continued to handicap themselves through excessive penalties – ten in the second half kept on giving succour to their opponents. Tom Pritchard was the next recipient of a yellow card as a result of the mounting toll.
Cranbrook had the scent of a comeback and continued to press into the home 22. A try looked imminent but the whistle went for a possibly serious injury to Cuming. Thankfully he was able to walk off after due treatment. However this merely delayed the inevitable and Cranbrook soon afterwards scored a decent try in the bottom corner, well converted.
At 29-14 with fifteen minutes remaining the visitors had to score three times to win and twice to obtain even a losing bonus point. In the event there were no further scores and the last few minutes were frequently disrupted by injuries as tired bodies felt the effect of a fiercely but fairly contested match.
The whistle finally went to lift Heathfield into third place in the league table, one point behind Cranbrook but with a game in hand. There is a 16 point gap between Aylesford in 4th place in the league and the next club Dover so the top four places will be decided between Bromley (almost certainly league winners), Cranbrook, Heathfield and Aylesford. The exact final placings may be critical in determining promotion at the season end.
Next week Heathfield entertain Bromley. In the away fixture earlier this season a Heathfield team weakened by Covid and injury lost 29-5 at Bromley. Hopefully today’s injuries will allow for a stronger performance next week (5 Mar 3.00)