HEATH let a 10-point lead slip and needed a late Ryan Piper penalty to earn them a draw in a clash of the fourth and fifth placed teams in Yorkshire One.
However, the West Vale men were left to reflect on numerous missed opportunities.
The early exchanges were even. Joe Shipman marked his return by stealing Sheffield's lineout ball. And when Jarrod Morris received possession on eight minutes he c
arved an opening for fullback Si Brown to score and Piper converted.
Sheffield were off target with two penalties and a drop goal attempt but Heath looked to be starting to gel and great hands from Piper, Morris and Brown set up a break which earned a penalty and Piper made it 10-0.
The visitors grabbed the next points when they won a lineout against the throw, to release MacPherson, who capitalised on weak tackling before releasing flying winger Oben, who skipped around several tacklers in a run from his own half. The goal was added and Heath had a game on their hands.
Sheffield looked to be taking charge and with Heath players letting the referee upset their concentration, the visitors levelled with a 25th minute drop goal.
Both sides missed penalties and Heath might have had a try just before half time when scrum half Piper pounced on a stray ball and released Ian Downsborough. The No 8 chipped through but Sheffield fullback Reed just managed to get his boot to the ball before Brown and winger Matt Baxendale.
Heath began the second half with more determination but were making too many mistakes and found themselves under pressure.
Lock Alistair Gordon came away with the ball and released Giles Hetherington, who inter-passed with Brown until one was ruled forward with the line beckoning.
The referee was beginning to frustrate both sets of players and spectators alike, Danny Nolan making his way to the sin bins.
Hetherington was held just short of the try line and Baxendale appeared to be tackled late after chipping forward but the referee saw it differently.
Sheffield took a 13-10 lead with a drop goal against the run of play with 10 minutes left but Heath constantly tested the visitors' defence.
Piper missed a penalty with three minutes left but was successful shortly after and Sheffield's attempt to win the game with a drop goal failed when the kick was charged down by Nolan and Shipman.
The full article contains 415 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
