A Promising Start But Heath Fall Away. Coming off the back of an enforced lay-off due to the unplayable state of the Whitemans Green pitch since mid December and having only taken to the field in anger once in the last month, Heath faced a tough away game at Dover. Dover, along with Hove and Beckenham are currently vying for the third relegation slot in a highly competitive two-tier league. In cold, but dry conditions on a heavy pitch and the gusty, swirling wind indicated early on that kicking for territorial advantage would be a favoured tactic for the team playing down the slope. Following the observance of a minutes silence in respect to two Dover club stalwarts Heath got first use of the slope and wind. In the early exchanges and using the wind to good effect, Heath took territorial advantage and the pressure built on Dover. The Heath pack held firm in the scrums inthe early stages against a well-drilled Dover pack, though the line out ball was not clean partly due to the difficult conditions. The pressure was made to pay when Roscoe Atkins kicked deep into the Dover 22 and a mix up between 2 Dover backs saw Matt Duncan intercept to cross close to the posts. Robbie Fotheringham added the extras. An encouraging 0-7 to Heath after 16 minutes. Following the re-start and several moves by the Dover forwards a ruck resulted. The referee spotted a stamp by Dovers Blowers who was duly yellow carded on 19 minutes, the first of 4 in the match. With a one man advantage and several well-placed kicks Heath were back in the Dover half. Heath had a penalty chance but the next score was Dovers. with a penalty from a collapsed scrum Dover narrowing the gap to 3-7. The course of the match altered between 38 minutes and into extra time, not helped by a yellow card for Heaths Jim Prescott. Dover scored twice, bothe from line outs 10 metyres out from the Heath line with simple and predictable carbon copy driving mauls. Colins claimed the first to take the ansd Smittyh was under the mass of bodies for the second. With one conversion, Dover took the lead at half time to 15-7. With the Dover Sharks smelling blood and Heath a man down Heath moved Tim Hartley up to scrum half to replace Alex Meredith and Byron Nesbitt making his debut on the wing. With the Heath scrum in some difficulty Dover added two more tries early in the second half. The first was adjudged a penalty try by the referee to muted disbelief from Heaths supporters and converted by Dover and the second following a lineout - another simple rolling maul and touchdown to take the score to 27-7 after 54 minutes. After 56 minutes Dovers Collins was yellow carded for use of the elbow. A positive passage of play followed with Heath right up on the Dover line but in the face of resolute defence, the visitors were unable to find a way over the line. After a number of phases the ball went loose and Dover hacked the ball clear. This was the closest that Heath came to a score in the second half. As the second half progressed Dovers superior match fitness and experience started to tell made no easier by a yellow card for Heaths Al Harle after 65 minutes, high tackle. With further cut and thrust from both sides, Dover gained the advantage from a flowing move with desperate Heath defence tackling Dover wing Halls just short of the line. Dover swung the ball wide to create an overlap and winger Ayling touched down. Conversion missed but Dover 32-7 after 71 minutes. Late in the second half Dover blooded 17-year Jordan Annakie who joined his two brothers in the team, unusual at this level or above unless your name happens to be Armitage!. On the final whistle another driving maul from Dover with prop Lucas touching down wide out for a final score of 37-7. This was a gritty performance from a young Heath team short of match fitness. They can be proud of their performance against a Dover team smarting controversially from a near-upset of Chichester the previous week. Although Dover were dominant in the second half, perhaps the scoreline was slightly flattering with their late score widening the gap. But for two yellow cards for which they were made to pay and unforced handling errors from which Dover took full advantage, on another day it might have been closer. Dover were worth their win though, playing some enterprising running rugby particularly in the second half as Heath started to tire. With Heath second from bottom of London 1 (South) it would take close to a miracle to survive. However the largely young Heath are capable of more and must be aiming to pick up the winnable matches during the remainder of the season. Heath Team Jim Prescott (George Heron), Max Drage, Chris Turner ©, Al Harle, Steve May, Will Hoare, Sam Drage, Nick Main, Alex Meredith (Byron Nesbitt), Robbie Fotheringham, Matt Duncan, Jack Lucas, James Brown, Roscoe Atkins, Tim Hartley Report from John Orchard
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:41:12 +0000
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