Brilliant performance secures Heath a place in last four of cup
Heath produced one of their best performances of the season to beat Rossendale in the quarter-finals of the Papa John’s Cup and book a home clash with York in the last four.
The visitors, who finished runners up in the North West league, were stiff opposition but the hosts opened the scoring when from a line out, Jack Pilcher ended the drive to score a try converted by Chris Johnson that put Heath 7-0 up with only three minutes played.
Rossendale responded four minutes later and a long looping pass to wing Bradshaw, saw him speed 60 metres unopposed to score in the corner.
The visitors hit the post with a penalty but they continued to batter the Heath defence and they were rewarded with a try in the corner from Lothian, converted by Allen, and the visitors led 12-7.
Allen extended the advantage with a penalty on the half hour mark but Johnson replied with a goal of his own to cut the deficit to five points at half time.
Johnson repeated the feat three minutes into the second period and as tempers flared, the Rossendale hooker was sin binned and Johnson kicked another penalty to put Heath 16-15 ahead on the hour mark.
Heath were clawing their way back into the game and yet another penalty conversion from Johnson increased the lead going into the final 20 minutes.
Harvey Keighley-Payne had to leave the field, replaced by Tom Stansfield, as the game continued to ebb and flow and the visitors reduced the arrears with a successful penalty.
The end to end action continued and from a Heath line-out, Alex Patrick set up the drive and Jack Pilcher emerged with the ball for his second try and Heath led 2418.
Rossendale went in search of a score and Dan Cole put in a try-saving tackle to prevent a certain score as the pressure mounted.
The onslaught eventually told and the visitors scored a try in the corner that put Rossendale just a point behind with five minutes left.
The visitors mounted yet another attack but, from an attempted kick and chase from the visitors, Ezra Hinchliffe charged down the kick, collected the ball and sprinted 50 metres for a self-converted try that sealed a 31-23 win.