Trip to Uckfield ends in defeat for Haywards Heath RFC

A sunny, windy day in front of a vocal Uckfield crowd started with the home side in the ascendancy deep in the Heath half. Continued defensive pressing from the home side stopped Heath exiting their own 22 and forced a penalty, dispatched for 3-0.

Heath started to play more of the rugby. Uckield were on the the wrong side of the referee and Heath kicked for territory and put the home side under pressure. On 10 minutes just on halfway line a quick tapped Heath penalty saw Uckfield not retreating and being marched back a further ten.

Tom Wharton kicked to the corner and although the ball wasn't taken cleanly from the lineout the Heath pack gathered it in and drove forward from where captain Wilf Bridges drove through defenders to score under the posts. Wharton converted for 3-7.

A stream of penalties in their favour allowed the visitors to stay in the opposition half. However, too many handling errors and a lack of composure in contact meant Heath were unable to capitalise and after 20 minutes the pendulum began to swing.

The home side looked like a team who’d played together in this league over a couple of seasons and their game management and execution of the basics meant Heath were coming under increasing pressure.

Some heroic tackling kept the Uckfield runners out until diminished numbers out wide allowed the home side winger to run in for a try that was knocked over for a 10-7 scoreline at the break.

Halfway through the second half the home side broke downfield and secured a scrum in the Heath half and a quick attack down the left saw them score again for 15-7.

Heath were held up just short on the left and were denied out on the right when scrum half Jamie Thurston thought he had touched down from a ruck but was deemed offside.

There was a lot for Heath to reflect and work on as they prepare for the visit of unbeaten Eastbourne to Whitemans Green this Saturday.

On Sunday Heath Colts won an enthralling league match at home against Brighton Blues.