Heath start well but Shoreham take win
Heath 16 Shoreham 20 After a chastening defeat away to in-form Pulborough, a Heath side showing seven changes just failed to get back on track in a home fixture against old rivals Shoreham, who were the other club promoted to this league.
The match couldn't have got off to a better start for Heath when great driving play by the forwards took them into the Shoreham 22 where, from broken play at a ruck, scrum half Evan Herbert saw a gap and shot past three defenders to score for 5-0.
Heath continued to press with some intelligent kicking giving them great territory and only some inaccuracy in their passing game and some sloppy off loads meant they didn't score again.
Shoreham found themselves stretched and conceded a penalty in front of the posts which Tom Wharton converted for 8-0.
Heath kept coming and after 16 minutes were awarded a penalty that was kicked to the corner. Although Shoreham turned the ball over they got caught playing in their own 22 from where the ball went through a couple of phases and out through hands for centre James Trinder to slice through and score for 13-0.
The restart, often an Achilles heal for Heath this season, was spilt and Shoreham regathered the ball, trucked up through a couple of phases and swung the ball wide to score in the corner for 13-5.
More Heath possession saw them kick another penalty to the corner from where a messy lineout was knocked on by the visitors. Heath took the ball on from the scrum and were driven back in the tackle by Shoreham after taking the wrong option when looking to drive up to the line.
The defensive pressure from Shoreham when it seemed Heath had to score meant the hosts were shovelling bad ball sideways across the pitch which allowed an interception from the Shoreham 10 who sprinted from his own 22 and took the score to 13-12.
With three minutes until half-time good work at the breakdown for Heath saw another penalty kicked to the corner. Heath took the ball and the forwards hit a couple of phases before being awarded a penalty. Wharton slotted it over for a half-time score of 16-12.
The second half saw Shoreham up their game and Heath's intensity drop off. Some raking kicks from the Shoreham No10 and 15 saw them pin Heath back in their 22 for large parts of the half.
Five minutes into the second half Shoreham worked the ball around the corner through missed Heath tackles and took the lead for the first time at 16-17.
Heath made incursions into the Shoreham 22 but a lack of accuracy at the lineout and poor decision making and execution meant they didn’t add to their total.
Shoreham continued to keep the ball. With time running out a marginal penalty for holding on which could have gone either way saw Shoreham get the shot at goal which they took – 16-20.
Heath are fourth, having been leapfrogged by Uckfield, this week’s visitors.