Heathfield 31 Old Dunstonians 8
Heathfield eventually overcame a determined Old Dunstonian (OD) team who had their chances to win a game dominated by the wind and incessant rain.
This report is light on details of play since my notebook is a sodden lump with pages difficult to separate let alone read.
OD won the toss and sensibly decided to play into the elements for the first half, as indeed Heathfield would have done. Unsurprisingly it quickly became apparent that conditions would have a massive influence on the game. On any number of occasions players dropped the ball just trying to adjust their grip even without interference from opponents. The referee deserves credit for allowing as much of the game to flow as was possible given the inevitable number of errors.
Heathfield were in the visitors’ half for most of the first quarter producing three possibly kickable penalties of which Harry Reilly was able to convert two. Reilly had a generally good day with the boot off the tee and out of hand but was also a safe pair of hands when fielding kicks at full back on a difficult day in that respect.
ODs made just one entry into the home half in the first half and they successfully collected a penalty from it at the end of the first quarter. Heathfield responded almost immediately to leave a 9-3 score line approaching half time. However one of the game’s critical moments now arrived as Heathfield pressed on the right hand side in the visitors 22 and quick ruck ball was moved to fly half Bryn Jones who boshed through the first tackle and then somehow wriggled his way through the next to jog over under the posts. Reilly duly converted for the 16-3 half time score.
Given the conditions this was not a convincing lead. Heathfield’s lineout unit worked well throughout the game with Henry Ross also disrupting the opposition throws to good effect. ODs had a slight edge in the scrummage at this stage and this would become a critical aspect in the second half.
Tom Tingley had been moved to inside centre in a late change to the starting line up and he was making his customary impact both in defence and ball in hand. Archie Adams was having a busy day at scrum half, often under considerable pressure, and he was varying play well with some challenging grubbers. Lars Thorkildsen replaced Sam Crichton at this point which was no criticism of Crichton who had been making his customary hard yards ball in hand.
The visitors number 8 and tight head were particularly noted with their strong efforts ball in hand although the no 8 was rather too effective in catching the referee’s eye when standing offside on too many occasions.
At half time the game was well in the balance and ODs certainly looked threatening during the third quarter. A strong OD attack down their left flank was only just stopped by a cover tackle by Bryn Jones but he was adjudged to have contacted with the head so was duly sent to the bin. Soon afterwards ODs accurately exploited a scrum 10 yards out from the home try line and their number 8 put their winger in for a try in the corner, although the conversion was missed.
Heathfield woes started to mount as another OD attack, this time into the bottom corner, was just thwarted by a cover tackle by Adams. However again contact was made with the head and he was also rightly binned. With two men in the bin and the scrum under pressure Heathfield Head Coach Dave Cook made a key change with Dylan Eames, who had started in the second row, moving up to tight head. A potentially difficult scrum in the bottom corner was successfully defended and eventually Heathfield moved back upfield. A score by ODs at this point could have changed the outcome. With hindsight, thereafter the result was never in doubt.
The game pendulum had swung and the home team had much the better of the last quarter. Ross made yet another steal of a visitors’ lineout and a succession of phases eventually saw an attacking lineout under the home balcony. The home lineout was again effective and Eames was able to claim the try. Reilly converted impressively from wide out to give the home team a 23-8 score line. The game became open and chances were starting to appear with Liam Dunkley looking threatening in the increasingly loose play.
With the result becoming clear Jones compounded the visitors woes with his precise kicking out of hand pushing them back into their own half. Eventually an attacking lineout in the left hand corner led to another try, again by Eames.
It would be wrong to read too much into today’s result as the weather prevented both sides from showing their strengths. However the league table is starting to become clearer. Heathfield’s next game away to Aylesford will have a big influence on the top half of the table (16 Oct 3.00)