Mid Sussex rugby derby thriller: Haywards Heath edge win at Burgess Hill

The Counties 2 Sussex tussle was played on a sticky pitch although both teams looked to play flowing rugby.

Heath played downhill in the first half and were initially dominant in possession. The opening Heath try came from a 5m lineout from where a well-set-up maul drove Hill back over the line with hooker Jack Herbert scoring.

The game swung back in the hosts’ favour when Heath skipper Wilf Bridges was yellow carded for kicking through a ruck close to the Heath line. Hill took a quick tap penalty and swung the ball wide to their right winger who scored in the corner to make it 5-5.

With 30 minutes gone, poor Heath tackling in midfield and a good run from the Hill No12 to cut through the midfield saw another try for the hosts – converted for 12-5.

Within five minutes, a good Heath attack saw winger Roscoe Atkins chip ahead and a great re-gather which allowed several strong drives through the middle allowed Heath to pressure the Hill line, where a lack of accuracy saw the ball knocked on.

Coming up to half-time, a Heath lineout on the Hill 22 was taken cleanly by Dan Shotton and the ball passed to the left. Quick recycled ball meant it was passed back to the right where a neat overlap was worked, allowing Matt Cains to dot down for 12-10.

A Heath scrum on the Hill 22 led to a series of drives through the Hill midfield before the ball was passed to the left where Samuella Bulitokaivale-Lancaster scored in the left corner for a half time score of 12-15. After 15 minutes of the second half Bulitokaivale-Lancaster put a great kick into the Hill in-goal area forcing the hosts to take a goal-line drop-out. The Hill 10 did not connect properly and Bridges charged it down and pounced for the bonus-point try.

Hill recycled through a couple of rucks then produced the try of the day, leaving the defence flat footed. The conversion made it 19-20 ahead of a tense but scoreless final 15 minutes.

This bonus-point win keeps Heath third, while Hill are ninth. This Saturday it’s Lewes v Burgess Hill and Pulborough v Heath