Heathfield Ladies secured a bonus point 6 try away win against Horsham Ladies with an assured all-round performance in miserable conditions. The score is perhaps unkind to the home side as more than one Heathfield player commented on the toughness of the contest, especially in the pack.
The excellent all-weather surface at Horsham and the floodlights allowed the game to go ahead in circumstances that would be inconceivable on a grass pitch. Continuous rain and a fluctuating but strong breeze made for difficult handling conditions so it is a credit to all that the game was completed, including referee Christophe Rivet who had a characteristic game.
Heathfield secured the ball from the kickoff and worked the ball downfield with some good support play. A penalty kept the pressure on the home team and good hands moved the ball wide left where Amber Lovick was just denied in the corner by a fine last-ditch tackle.
However two more tapped penalties allowed the visitors to keep the pressure on in the home 22 and soon Megan Plane was able to step her way over for the opening try.
Horsham charged back into the visitors’ half but their attack was decisively stopped by a thumping (and legal) tackle by Laura McGee on a home prop who sadly had to retire with an injury to her arm.
There was no further scoring for nearly 20 minutes as the teams fought to take control. One pleasing feature, from Heathfield’s viewpoint, was the number of effective combinations with Georgia Reed-Davies, McGee, skipper Carol Saunders, Becky Taylor and Abi Bandtock contributing in various combinations to many useful carries.
Gradually Heathfield built into the home 22 and solid scrum possession was moved right and then back left for Phoebe Morgan to work her way over on the left hand side after 25 minutes. The conversion by Plane, almost directly into the breeze was only just short, and remarkably this was her only failed conversion out of 6 on the day.
In the last minutes of the half a big kick out of defence by Horsham was run back by McGee who found Reed-Davies on a good line and was then on hand to receive the return pass to claim a fine try.
In the second half the wind which had been directly across the pitch gradually turned to be more behind Heathfield although this was probably not significant as Heathfield increasingly had control and kept the ball in hand.
With three tries on the board, Heathfield were keen to collect the fourth and all-important bonus point try. It was afterwards felt that too often at this stage Heathfield kept attacking through the pack when overlaps were going begging out wide.
The visitors’ scrum was becoming dominant and this helped Heathfield into a strong position in the right hand corner. From a tap penalty Taylor was just denied by some valiant defence and soon afterwards McGee was adjudged to have been held up after another handy run.
Approaching the last quarter the search for the bonus point try was becoming a concern especially when a fine run by Velvet Turner was just denied by a great last ditch tackle by the home full back Rachel Marchesan. Marchesan made several other important tackles and was one of their standout players on the day.
However bonus point concerns were finally assuaged when Bandtock charged over from a 5m tap penalty.
Horsham had been handicapped by a shortage of bench players so it was no surprise when another injury meant that scrums became uncontested. This worked in the home team’s favour as that phase had been a particular Heathfield strength with several turned over scrums.
With fifteen minutes left Turner broke through some despairing tackles to collect a deserved try. Soon afterwards yet another McGee break gave the ball to Toni Norman, on as a replacement, who finished well to collect her first try at this level.
The rain and wind now seemed to intensify so it was a relief for all when the final whistle went.
The Heathfield coaches were delighted with the overall performance although the high penalty count in both halves will have been a concern.
Heathfield next entertain Medway who are the only side to have beaten Heathfield this season so the game on 19 January should be a good contest – pitch conditions permitting!
Team
1. Hannah Overy 2 Amber Lovick 3. Abu Bandtock 4. Velvet Turner 5. Georgia Reed-Davies 6. Laira McGee 7. Rebecca Taylor 8. Carol Saunders 9. Lib Lawrence 10. Megan Plane 11. Phoebe Morgan 12. Sophia Skinner 13. Chip Chippett 14. Jasmin Lewis 15. Britt Mole
Replacements
16. Freya Gorringe 17 Steph Chipps 18 Toni Norman 19. Maya Champion 20. Megan Baker-Butler 21. Merve Prestedge