Resolute Heath go back on top

With the previous home fixture against Dover having been postponed, Heath had dropped behind this week’s opposition Old Colfeians in the London SE2 league, and were sitting two points behind in second place, albeit with a game in hand. Colfes had been in a rich vein of form in the league which saw them on a winning streak stretching back to the beginning of October and there was an obvious air of confidence about them as they took to the pitch.

Immediately Colfes showed how they had reached the top of the league with an abrasive forward based game hammering away around the fringes and utilising their heavy-duty forwards to try and carry the ball up. Ominously for Heath the Colfes forwards had instant ascendancy in the scrum and, after putting Heath under pressure at the set piece, the visitors forced a penalty for offside which they kicked for 0-3.

The pattern of the half was set with Heath putting an incredible defensive shift together to hold out the Colfes pack who kept hammering away with their short game trying to force the penalty at the set piece. The game plan worked to a degree in that Colfes did work the penalties but curiously didn’t take the points and backed themselves to score in open play. Against any other team this may have worked but the Heath defensive wall was equal to anything thrown at it and, cheered on by the travelling Heath ultras, tackle after tackle and turnover after turnover meant Colfes had nothing to show for their first half endeavour.

Notwithstanding their phenomenal defensive organisation, Heath were not firing on all cylinders and were guilty of coughing up possession themselves , being unusually sloppy in the execution of their lineouts meaning that whenever they did exit their own 22 they were handing the initiative back to the opposition.

After 25 minutes of huff and puff the big Colfes pack had started to lose their impact and a turnover by Heath in their own 22 was quickly exploited with a break from Owain McLoughlin, James Flicker and Jamie Diggle taking play deep into Colfes territory, from where it was cleared to touch. A knock on from Colfes at the lineout saw Heath win the scrum and drive short through skipper Sam Drage, from where Gareth Fergusson took it up the middle before shipping it wide for James Flicker to dive over for a try. Henry Warwick added the two points for 7-3.

Colfes were scratching their heads at being behind in the game and reverted to trying to smash their way through tacklers with their forwards but the Heath wall held firm to half time and with a tantalising 7-3 scoreline the second half was hotly anticipated by supporters of both sides.

From the restart the wheels started to come off the Colfe’s bus when the ball was knocked on and then played in front of the man, giving Henry Warwick a straightforward penalty in front of the posts for 10-3. Heath were now starting to enjoy more possession and with their next foray into the opposition 22 they secured another penalty when the Colfes tackler failed to release. Warwick stepped up and eased Heath into a two score lead at 13-3.

Again Colfes came steaming back with their forward led game giving them a great territorial platform but again they were one dimensional and, unable to do anything with the possession, were well marshalled by the Heath defence until the inevitable turnover came.

With around 15 minutes of the game remaining Heath started to cut loose as tired legs and a yellow card saw Colfes heads start to drop. Some free flowing rugby with inter-passing from backs and forwards saw the defence stretched one way and then another. A burst from McLoughlin took him up to the Colfes 5 metre line from where scrum half Brett Menefy quickly distributed to the right for winger Diggle to charge through the defensive hole and touch down. Warwick’s conversion was inevitable and the game was done as a contest at 20-3.

Further Heath attacks fell short and, despite another yellow for Colfes, they couldn’t cross for a further try but there was time with the last play of the game for Warwick to extend the lead with a final penalty kick for 23-3.

This gutsy win for Heath meant they moved back to the top of the table above Colfes with a game in hand as the teams head towards the latter part of the season. It was clear to see why Colfes had won so many of their recent matches but they will be kicking themselves at their inability to make better use of so much possession or change their game plan when they couldn’t find a way through the Heath defence. The boys in red and black showed once again why and how they are the most organised defence in the league with the entire team and bench putting in a massive shift to repel the Colfes offensive effort. Next week hopefully sees Heath’s rearranged game against Dover at Whitemans Green.

Heath 1st XV squad: Charlie Newey; Matt Holyland; Sam Beckett; Patrick McPherson; Hugo McPherson; Sam Drage (capt); Josh Salisbury; Gareth Fergusson; Brett Menefy; Jack Lucas; Jamie Diggle; Owain McLoughlin; James Flicker; Dougie Kern; Henry Warwick; Martin McDonagh; Steve Doku; Wilf Bridges