Entertaining Heath take the bonus point win

If it hadn’t been for an unfortunate slip up losing by one point away at Deal the previous week when playing a re-arranged game, the Crows could have been sitting in second place rather than fourth making this a top of the table clash. As it was there was plenty to play for with a bonus point win for Crowborough meaning that they could draw level with Heath at the top of the league, while Heath were looking to keep losses so far this season to just one. As befitting a Sussex derby there was a good crowd with a lot of away support mixing with the revellers from Heath fresh from their Christmas lunch in the Clubhouse. However, the crowd and the occasion were of no consequence to the highflying Heath team who picked up where they had left off two weeks previously and from the referee’s whistle played a hugely entertaining brand of rugby, notwithstanding the sticky underfoot conditions. Heath were in front after only a couple of minutes after fast attacking rugby saw second row Hugo McPherson take an inside pass and scorch under the posts for 5-0. Crowborough tried to dip a toe in the game but could not live with the frenetic pace of the Heath attack or the all-consuming red and black wall of the Heath defensive set up. On 12 minutes a break from number 8 Gareth Fergusson was quickly recycled to winger Jamie Diggle cutting an angle at pace from around 30 metres out. After bouncing the first defender the rampaging Diggle pirouetted out of the next tackle and smashed his way over the line for the score. Will Reeves-Perrin knocked over the extras for a 12-0 lead to Heath. The home side’s dominance saw Crowborough attempt to tighten up their game plan but again the Heath defence forced repeated turnovers and the wave of red and black attacks kept coming. Heath’s ambition to run the ball in this period of the game burned brightly and after managing to miss out on a try when they had done all the hard work to create the overlap, Heath scored again on the 20 minute mark. This time the forwards set a platform from which the ball was moved wide right sucking in the Crowborough defence before being shipped to the left where Owain McLoughlin drew two defenders and put second row Steve Doku in for the try in the corner and 17-0. If anything, Heath became over-excitable at the way they were playing and left another couple of scoring opportunities on the park when it seemed easier to take the score, but nonetheless remained in complete ascendancy up to the break. Supporters expecting a cricket score were quickly disabused of that notion in the second half when Crowborough came back out a different team and with some real belief. A tighter game with their forwards operating well saw them put Heath under some real pressure both in terms of possession and territory. When Heath did get the ball they were sometimes guilty of trying to play too much Hollywood rugby rather than sticking the ball down in the Crowborough 22 and threatening the try line from up close. An attacking scrum following a held-up maul gave the visitors a platform from which their scrum half was able to snipe over in the corner for 17-5. A different feeling in the second half with Heath unable to match the intensity of the opening period suddenly meant that it was game on as Crowborough tails were clearly up. The Heath reaction to the score against them was quick and decisive effectively putting the game to bed. A more pragmatic kick to the corner was taken well in the lineout and moved to midfield where the ruck formed. Crowborough were quick to fan out their defensive line but left the ruck unguarded allowing flanker and Man of the Match Josh Salisbury to pick up and run in unopposed from 20 metres out. Reeves-Perrin made the conversion for 24-5. With the bonus point banked and the opposition requiring three scores to come back into it, Heath saw out the game with no late dramas although they did miss out on another try from a gloriously well engineered attack. At the final whistle, whilst Heath could have had even more points from the game, the final score accurately reflected how the match panned out, with Heath’s scintillating first half performance being pegged back by a much-improved Crowborough in the second half. Heath Assistant Head Coach Jim Taylor was delighted with the performance and particularly securing a seventh try bonus point of the campaign by the Christmas break, matching the tally from the entire previous season. After the match Taylor presented the winners of the November awards for 1st XV Player of the Month, James Flicker, and RAMS Player of the Month, Sam Muir, with a bottle of Black Dog Vineyard Cuvee Sparkling Wine. Next weekend sees the final game of 2019 which is another Sussex derby away at Hove when both the 1st XV and RAMS will be in action. Heath 1st XV Squad: Charlie Newey; Max Drage; Sam Beckett; Steve Doku; Hugo McPherson; Sam Drage (capt); Josh Salisbury; Gareth Fergusson; Matt Ashley; Will Reeves-Perrin; James Flicker; Jack Lucas; Owain McLoughlin; Jamie Diggle; Dougie Kern; Matt Holyland; Patrick McPherson; Wilf Bridges.