Eastbourne RFC win at Haywards Heath to extend 100 per cent record

Here is the report from Haywards Heath RFC…

Overnight rain meant soft conditions at Whitemans Green for the visit of unbeaten league leaders Eastbourne, who had amassed 225 points in four league games to nudge themselves ahead of East Grinstead at the top of the table.

Heath kicked off playing up the hill but with the wind. An early break from a scrum saw the home side attack down the right but a stray final pass saw a try go begging. Heath took the lead with a Tom Wharton penalty after the visitors strayed offside in the midfield for 3-0.

Eastbourne started to put Heath under pressure. With ten minutes gone the Heath midfield raced up leaving a defensive hole for a winger to fly through - 3-5. Heath defended manfully despite Eastbourne having the ascendancy in the set piece. Heath carved out a couple of half opportunities, but a lack of accuracy and composure saw chances pass.

Eastbourne were ruthless when in the Heath 22 and, after a kick through to the Heath line was cleared, a penalty for holding on saw the visitors with a 5m scrum. Their big forwards marched over the line – 3-10.

On the half-hour a penalty to Eastbourne was kicked for a lineout on the Heath 22. The Eastbourne pack claimed it well and mauled up to the line, reset and went again to score in the corner for 3-15.

A yellow card against the Eastbourne prop for a neck-high clear-out meant Heath had a five-minute period against 14 men. But there was no further score before the break.

Ten minutes into the second half and a scrum to Eastbourne on the 22 wide left saw Heath failing to shut down the blindside and the visitors’ scrum half skipped in at the corner - 3-20. Another converted try soon made it 3-27.

Heath started to play rugby and cause Eastbourne problems. Jamie Diggle and Evan Herbert set up skipper Wilf Bridges to crash over for the try. Wharton converted.

With five minutes Eastbourne breached the Heath defensive wall for the game’s final try. But there was a lot for the Heath side to be pleased with.

This week sees what should have been a visit to Crawley flipped to a home fixture at Whitemans Green (3pm).

And here is how Eastbourne RFC reported on the match…

Eastbourne travelled to Haywards Heath – and passed their toughest test of the season so far.

Eastbourne’s superior strength, speed and power paid off as they recorded their fifth straight bonus-point win in the Counties 2 Sussex league and remain unbeaten this season.

The game started with both sides looking to play fast and tight then spread it wide.

Eastbourne dominated the set-piece and kept the Heath scrum and lineout under pressure. Heath got the first points with a penalty but Eastbourne put them to the sword for the rest of the half.

Mason Dowle used his speed to finish a good team try and Jeremy Montes scored the first of his two tries in a powerful display.

The half was capped by a brilliant forwards try as they mauled Heath close to the try line, and a number of successful pick and go attempts were completed by tighthead Allun Cranch for his first try for the first team.

Captain Jake Howe narrowly missed the conversions.

The next try came ten minutes into the second half as Harrison Gibbons took advantage of the dominant scrum and skipped down the blind side to score in the corner and secure the bonus point.

Three minutes later, Dowle secured his second try with a brilliant run-in after multiple phases and a good break by fly-half Aaron Hossack – and Howe converted.

Heath had a couple of purple patches and Eastbourne held out for long periods until the home side crossed to make the score 10-27.

In the 74th minute, Montes scored his second try from ten metres out to clinch a 32-10 win.

Montes had a superb game and the front five showed dominance all day and the game was well controlled by Hossack at No10.

Great work-rate, skill and lineout dominance saw the MoM award go to Vincent ‘The Inspector’ Morse and Owen Davies, who both shone on the flanks.

Eastbourne travel to third-placed Pulborough tomorrow desperate to secure a win to set up a big home clash the week after against league favourites East Grinstead, who are joint-top with Eastbourne.

ERFC twos – the Nomads – won on their visit to leaders St Francis. MoM: Pete Newman.