Rugby round-up: Heath rack up record win, Crocs beat Roundhegians but Rishies defeated

Heath travelled to the bottom club looking to avoid a potential banana skin of a game in their quest for a top three finish.

Coach Harry made several changes to the side, with Fergus Marsden and Alex McFadden getting valuable game time with Paul Turner rested and Matt Beasty taking a stint on the bench.

Also coming in for a start was Jack Raby with Jonny Cole again rested. Olly Scrimshaw started at full back with Eddie Cartwright moving to stand off as Alex Bull took a stint on the bench alongside George Heron.

In perfect conditions Heath made an incredible start. After two minutes, Joe Morrison broke and passed to the supporting Tom Owen, who scored the first try, converted by Eddie Cartwright - 7-0.

After four minutes, following a punt from Cartwright the ball bounced kindly for Elliott Spiers and he passed inside to the supporting Olly Scrimshaw for a try, converted by Eddie Cartwright - 14-0.

After five minutes Morrison collected the ball from the re-start and ran half the length of the field for an unconverted try - 19-0.

Seven minutes in, Morrison again exposed the home defence with his second try, converted by Cartwright to make it 26-0.

Morrison then scored his third try following good work from Fergus Marsden and supported by Seif Boussaada, converted by Cartwright - 33-0.

On 24 minutes, a super run from Callum Harriott-Brown released Dom Walsh for a try, converted by Cartwright - 40-0.

Bull and Heron then replaced Morrison and Pilcher.

A jinking run from Elliott Spiers created another try after half-an-hour, converted brilliantly by Cartwright - 47-0.

After Beasty replaced Boussaada, on 37 minutes, Harriott-Brown rounded off another superb break with a try, again converted by Cartwright to make a half time score of 54-0.

Eight tries and seven conversions in a one sided half despite the efforts of the home side who, to their credit, tried to compete but were out gunned.

Chris Moore and Tom Owen were replaced by Joe Morrison and Jack Pilcher at the start of the second half as the home side made a better start to the game scoring a well worked converted try on 45 minutes - 54-7.

Heath clicked back into action and a flowing movement back and forth across the backs saw no 7, Jack Raby, go over in the corner for a converted try - 61-7.

Two minutes later Harriott-Brown outpaced a desperate Bees defence to go over in the corner for a converted try - 68-7.

This was followed by a fourth converted try from Morrison and Cartwright made it 75-7 with 54 minutes played.

Once again, to the Bees credit, they continued to go in search of a second try and were rewarded on the hour mark with a converted try - 75-14.

However, from the re-start, a mistake from the home side enabled Cartwright to pounce for a try, converted by himself, making it 82-14.

With 10 minutes to play Tom Owen and Seif Boussaada returned to the action with Fergus Marsden and Eddie Cartwright coming off.

As full time was approaching Heath had the final say when Ben Stringer broke from a scum to score an unconverted try and a final score of 87-14.

This was the highest score achieved by Heath in any league campaign with 12 tries and ten conversions. Joe Morrison also set a record with a hat trick of tries in a seven minute period. Granted the Bees have struggled all season but the game had to be won by Heath to ensure they keep tabs on those clubs above them.

The next two games are at home against Morley and Scarborough before they end their season with a visit to Pocklington.

Heath seconds lost 54-22 to Moortown seconds.

Old Rishworthians were competitive throughout, but Middlesbrough showed why they are Yorkshire One champions-elect as they won 36-22.

While the home side had the better of the second half, they were always having to play catch-up.

But it was two tries in the last five minutes of the first half, one of them a real gem, which sealed the victory.

The Middlesbrough backs always looked dangerous with the ball in hand, but it was the forwards who scored the first try with hooker Joe Sawdon going over from a lineout. Fly half Andy Baggett converted.

Rishworthians hit straight back though. Good work by the outstanding Ethan Pollard took play into the visitors’ 22.

They kept up the pressure and scrum possession then saw the ball come out for centre Finn Sutcliffe to crash over in textbook style. Fly half Josh Kelly converted.

Middlesbrough came straight back and Rishworthians were forced into desperate defence and eventually could not hold a pushover scrum touched down by No 8 Toby Tremlett, which Baggett converted.

Again the home men hit back and Kelly reduced the arrears with a penalty. As the break neared though ‘Boro increased their lead with a fine try.

Baggett put in an inch perfect crossfield kick, gathered by the winger who passed inside for supporting lock James Walker to touch down.

Right on the break the visitors scored again with flanker Andrew Sloan driving through at the back of a lineout for a bonus point try.

From the second half restart, it was all Rishworthians with wing Isaac Riley putting in a couple of strong runs, although ‘Boro hit back through classy back play carving their way through for fullback Brendan Hill to touch down wide out.

The home men fought back strongly keeping the visitors in their own half. They maintained the pressure, with play switching from one side of the pitch to the other before finally replacement No 8 Simanu Tusiga crashed over.

Eager for more Rishworthians laid siege to the Middlesbrough line and got their reward with a penalty try when centre Doug Heseltine was tackled close to the line just before he received the ball for a certain try.

Rishworthians kept up the pressure but could not add to their score and relaxed right at the end to allow a further try, replacement prop Harry Hutt touching down from a lineout drive.

The development team had a fine 33-14 win over their Middlesbrough counterparts. There were two tries for Anthony Shoesmith and others for Alfie Dowe,

Lee Atkinson and Callum Bell, who also converted his try. Fraser Swarbrooke added three more conversions.

Old Crossleyans win 34-31 at Roundhegians .

The Crocs travelled to Chelwood Drive desperate to get a result to keep the pressure on league leaders Middlesbrough.

Roundhegians though had other ideas and were in no mood to make the afternoon an easy one for the visitors.

In fact it was Roundhegians who struck first from a well worked move seizing on some weak defending catching the crocs by surprise, this was successfully converted giving the home team an early 7-0 lead.

The Crocs though soon settled into their patterns of play and started to up the intensity level.

Strong driving runs from Ruben Pollard and Sam Ives wore down the opposing defence, and Billy Hammond was on hand to drive over from short range.

The Crocs then maintained the momentum and following some excellent flowing rugby orchestrated through goods hands from Joe Gallagher the crocs quickly added further scores from their pacemen Chris Vine and powerful centre Jack Brown.

Roundhegians quickly struck back in ominous style, taking the score to 21-14 at half time.

The second half started with the Crocs taking the early advantage of field position and possession.

Powerful running from Cameron Brannan and Rob Oliver soon paid dividends when Billy Hammond once again powered over from close range, earning the away team a try bonus point.

The Crocs maintained their intensity level and remained disciplined with and without the ball and sure enough another try came following a sniping run from Joe Stott, who offloaded to the supporting Tom Metcalfe who managed to find the ever-present Chris Vine in support to dart over and score.

The Crocs were now leading 31-14 and appeared home and dry, but Roundhegians then hit back with another excellently worked try bringing them back into the contest at 31-21.

It was then the Roundhegians who began to win the energy battle as Crocs became complacent.

A further two unanswered tries from Roundhegians, taking the score to 31-26, had the Crocs visibly spooked.

Joe Gallagher took advantage of some rare poor indiscipline from Roundhegians kicking a penalty and stretching the lead to 34-26.

But it was the Roundhegians who struck again following some exposed weak defence on the Crocs left edge and in the dying minutes the home side raced over to score.

The home team declined the conversion, instead hoping to score from the return kick off as this would be the last play. The atmosphere was tense but the Crocs upped their defence to see the game out, clinching a deserved but nervy victory.