Heath win after flying start

Jordan Moana made it onto the bench as coach Dave Harrrison reverted to his usual starting line-up and Heath made the perfect start.

The ball from Heath’s kick off was stolen from a hesitant North Ribb player by Jason Merrie and Alex McFadden and Jack Crabtree set up the on-rushing Jordan Bradbrook toe sprint over, Ezra Hinchliffe converted.

Heath made it 12-0 after three minutes, juggernaut Richard Brown setting up Hinchliffe to a massive clearance into space. Callum Harriet-Brown chased kicked through before touching down.

A rout seemed on the cards and when their penalty attempt hit a post it seemed everything was against them, particularly when Heath immediately turned defence into attack and scored again.

Seiffe Boussaada charged to the half way line, Sam Pollard was in support and Hinchliffe’s clever kick set up Harriet-Brown for another chase before the ball found touch.

The line out was won by Ian Downsborough and Olly Cook charge towards the line with the pack in support. Intricate play released Bradbrook for his second try and Hinchliffe converted for 19-0 after 10 minutes.

On 15 minutes the visitors mounted their first try threat and Bradbrook went off with a serious shoulder injury preventing a certain try.

Brown and Boussaada helped clear the danger and a kick from Crabtree enabled Merrie to launch another onslaught. With the Heath pack pressing, the elusive Peter Birkett popped up for a try on 18 minutes. Hinchliffe’s conversion made it 26-0.

Ribb clung on and then scored an unconverted try themselves on 33 minutes.

Replacements Chris Piper and Jordan Moana were prominent in keeping the visitors out up to half time.

To their credit Ribb opened the second half on the offensive and scored a converted try to make it 26-12.

Heath replied in unusual circumstances. A cross field kick from Crabtree from the half way line was kicked back in-field towards the Ribb in-goal area by Si Brown. The ball looked to be going dead but Pollard’s touch down was adjudged to be in play and Hinchliffe’s kick made it 33-12 with 50 minutes on the clock.

The final half hour was even and uneventful with Ribb seemingly keen to prevent further damage and Heath happy to settle for a bonus point win.