Late tries finish off Heath

Poor decision making late on gifted possession to the Bees, who scored two converted tries and denied the visitors a losing bonus point.

Jack Sheldrake and Naz Salama were late withdrawals for the North Dean side so Gareth Webb and Darren Neilly moved up from the bench with Cameron Ramsden and Alistair Gordon replacing them.

Bees took the lead with an early penalty but Dave Harrison’s visitors gradually got on top with their pack solid and their backs seeking openings.

Ezra Hinchliffe’s good touch-finder set up the first chance for Heath on 15 minutes.

From the lineout the pack pushed for the line. Scrum half Dominic Walsh fed Mark Sales and the fly half’s slick inside pass enabled Hinchliffe to scythe and go under the posts. Jack Crabtree converted.

Bees came back strongly and prop Paul Sinfield’s converted try put the hosts 10-7 up on 23 minutes. A Heath infringement cost them another three points.

Darren Neilly picked up from a scrum and broke clear. Walsh was in support and Callum Harriett-Brown looked certain to score but was held up just short.

Crabtree set up the next attack with a great kick to the corner and then put a penalty attempt badly wide.

Bees swung into attack and created an overlap but Harriett-Brown intercepted just outside Heath’s 22 and set off like the Flying Scotsman to race under the posts. Crabtree converted deep into added time.

In spite of a string of penalties against them., Heath just about deserved to be in front.

Bees were fired up but Heath stood firm with Howard Hanks, Matt Beasty and Ian Downsborough to the fore.

Following a lengthy delay due to the injury of Bees’ prop Sinfield, Heath were caught napping and shipped a simple try. The conversion was missed but the Bees led 18-14 after 50 minutes.

Bees were unable to capitalise as the visitors were penalised.

The game became increasingly scrappy but the hosts turned the screw and pounced on a mistake by Webb to score a converted try in the corner on 70 minutes.

Walsh was sin-binned and Bees scored a bonus-point try, adding the conversion.