Yorkshire One pair beaten

Heath and Old Brodleians fill the bottom two positions in Yorkshire One after both were beaten again on Saturday.

Heath lost 22-3 at Wath while Brods went down 30-18 at home to Doncaster Phoenix and the pair have only one league win each this season.

The North Dean men were hit by the withdrawals of Martin Moana and Ryan Hunter, Richard Dance and Eddie Cartwright coming into the starting line-up at lock and fullback respectively.

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After an even opening Wath won a series of penalties and their pack hammered away at the Heath line, resulting in second row Simon Limes scoring an unconverted try on 13 minutes.

Dominic Walsh was instrumental in getting Heath going but winger Rob Thackray was put into touch and a dropped pass allowed the home side to break free, several missed tackles paving the way for winger Brett Small to make it 10-0 on 27 minutes.

Heath were struggling to contain the strong Wath pack but Mark Puttick inspired his troops and a penalty on 32 minutes enabled Ezra Hinchliffe to pull back three points.

With tempers fraying and Wath on the attack, Hamish Pratt was sin-binned but Heath held firm and even found time for an attack before half time.

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Coach Kevin Plant demanded better discipline and organisation but Heath’s fightback hopes were scuppered in bizarre fashion.

Wath’s fullback was sent off but then recalled and Will Sellars instead sin-binned for a late tackle. Si Brown was yellow carded shortly after Wath’s winger out-flanked Heath’s 12 men them for a converted try and 17-3 lead.

Hinchliffe missed a penalty and Cameron Ramsden went close to a try in the corner, the ball being held up over the Wath try line from the subsequent scrum.

Heath had the upper hand in the scrum and Garland and Olly Cook went close.

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The visitors, restored to full strength, were dominant but Hinchliffe put a penalty just wide and the hosts broke. Their fullback was bundled into touch by Ramsden but Wath continued to attack and ex-Halifax scrum half Joe Bartlett drove through for the clinching score, the game petering out after that.

Brods were 18-16 up at half time against high-flying Phoenix but were starved of possession in the third quarter facing the Woodhead slope with their lineout ball regularly plundered.

They tackled bravely but the powerful visitors surged ahead with two converted tries and missed a good penalty chance.

The loss of Kiwi centre Sam Deacon, clutching his left leg, added to Brods’ woes but the Hipperholme men showed good character to dominate field position in the final quarter and but for a strong Phoenix defence would have grabbed a try and a losing bonus point.

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