Heath quick to blow away those cobwebs
Crawley RFC 14 Haywards Heath 62 Counties 2 Sussex A much changed Heath side, with four first team debutants, began 2024 with a win at Crawley.
The pitch was well preserved and in good shape for the first league game of the year and contributed to Heath being able to play fastflowing rugby.
Initial Crawley pressure was snuffed out by the Heath defence and from a dominant scrum, the ball was moved to midfield where full-back Chris Neill's angled run saw him slice through for the first try. Tom Wharton converted for 0-7. A mix-up in the Heath midfield saw Crawley strike back for 7-7.
From a strong scrum platform Heath attacked down the left and from a breakdown 20m out, blind side flanker Toby Vander went through the middle of the ruck and outsprinted the cover for a score which Wharton knocked over for 7-14.
When a penalty for holding on was given against Crawley Heath kicked deep to the corner. Second row Charlie Fenwick took the ball from the lineout and inside centre Christian Streeter crashed through tacklers and over for 7-19.
Crawley had a spell where they retained possession and started to use their runners in the centre. But a break saw Streeter outpace the defence on the right to go in for his second try and secure the bonus point and a 7-24 advantage.
Soon burly winger Aidan Baker was lurking to pick it up and burst pass his opposite number for a fifth Heath try – 7-31. Then after an effective chase and tackle from winger Takhy Ndiaye Marrero, Harry Edwards went over for a 7-36 lead at the break.
After the break, from a lineout on halfway, skipper Wilf Bridges stormed into the opposition 22 where he offloaded to Vander, who crossed for his second try. Wharton added the extra two points for 7-43.
Bridges and Ali Darling set up Wharton for a try under the posts. He converted his own try for 7-50 before
Crawley were rewarded with a score of their own.
Wharton scored for Heath before Ndiaye Marreo crashed through for a deserved try and Streeter added the conversion.
This week Heath host Worthing Azurians.