York battled hard in a competitive and combative encounter that was a treat to watch but couldn't convert their chances to take a game they should have won, against a resurgent Heath side eventually losing by 20 points to 10.

Heath have had an uncharacteristic start to their season, winning only two of their five league starts, explained by an array of injuries incurred from round 1 of this year's league campaign. Which perhaps gave York an air of confidence they may reverse the series of losses against a side that is fast becoming their nemesis. Despite their previous injury list, Heath looked to have a lot of their first-choice players back. York themselves have their own availability issues. The injury last week to the recently returned Atkinson meant reshuffling the back line which must be proving frustrating for the coaching staff with consistency of selection proving elusive. The sun was shining on a dry firm pitch, and the stage was set for a mouthwatering encounter that both sets of spectators eagerly anticipated.

York kicked off to initiate a nip and tuck game that saw each side testing each other up front, hard running being met with thunderous tackles. In contrast, both Johnson and Shackleton, engaged in their own mind games, delicately probing the depths of the opposition 22m area like a couple of chess grand masters, seeking to impose their own strategy on the game. Shackleton opened the scoring with a penalty following a short period of sustained pressure from York to put them briefly in the lead with a penalty but Heath were quick to respond. Strong running down the left by the formidable Boussaada, managing to find a half gap in the defensive line and find himself in space. Making good ground before slipping the ball inside to Keighley-Payne who crossed to the left of the posts. Johnson converted, Heath 7, York 3.

Heath got the better of the territory game, keeping York pinned in their own half with penetrating kicks from both Gallagher and Johnson that made them constantly turn and regroup. York defended courageously and gave no quarter, their back three, particularly Burlingham, showing composure on the ball under pressure. The Heath scrum was a dominant feature last year and whilst York were dealing with it this time around it was a key battle ground in the game. Johnson extended Heath’s lead when York were penalised for standing up in the scrum on the 10m line, Johnson slotting the penalty to extend Heath’s lead to seven points.

York had brief spells of their own in the Heath 22 to relieve the pressure and started to ask questions of their defence. Shackleton found his dancing shoes to put them on the back foot and create attacking momentum before feeding Dent on a nice line who crashed over under the posts for the try. Shackleton converted to tie the game 10-10. The final assault of the half on the York line was launched by Heath kicking into the York goal area. Rae collected, touched down and took a quick goal line drop out to himself. Mr Penfold deemed him to have knocked on and awarded a scrum to Heath 5m out. A tremendous defensive effort ensued with York forcing a knock on that brought the half time whistle as the Heath pack tried to maul the ball over the line. Heath 10, York 10.

The second half was dominated territorially by York and officially by Mr Penfold who issued four yellow cards, a feature of the pressure exerted by both sides. York’s presentation of second phase ball was much cleaner than of late allowing Atkin to increase the tempo of the game which was eagerly contributed to by strong running from forwards and backs. Heath seemed to relish the physical challenge which arguably was made easier for them by York running close to the breakdown and not stretching the lungs of the big Heath pack. A variety of kicks from Shackleton was constantly putting Heath on the back foot, one neat grubber resulting in a knock on by Heath and the start of sustained York pressure.

The first yellow card of the day was awarded to Heath for infringing at the scrum. “Take the points” the crowd thought but the momentum of the second half and the loss of Moore gave York the confidence to pursue the try and kick into the corner for the lineout, which was working well, and gave them sustained pressure and repeated penalty options. They couldn't breach the defence of 14-man Heath who defended valiantly, particularly Harriott-Brown who made a crunching tackle on the charging Dent who was cutting a great line off Shackleton. Heath managed to relieve the pressure and took the game briefly back into the York half where Johnson kept the score board ticking over to put Heath into a 13-10 lead.

As soon as Moore had returned from his spell in the sin bin, another Heath forward took his place for collapsing the maul. The game was all York at this point, the pack retaining phase ball to sustain the pressure from forwards running mainly in the number ten channel. A strong drive up the left-hand side concentrated the Heath defence before the ball was released to the right. The passing was laboured but managed to find Rae who raced for the corner against the covering defender Haynes. Rae couldn't quite make the line and was taken into touch at the corner flag.

Another attack by York saw the ball drift too far in front of Fordy who tried to salvage the situation by getting boot to it, pushing it on the ground behind the oncoming centres. It was a cruel stroke of luck that saw the ball pop up neatly into the hands of the oncoming Haynes who ran 75m to the line to score under the posts for a converted try that was to conclude the scoring 20 -10. The try, very much against the run of play, took the wind out of the York sails who subsequently suffered a couple of yellow cards late in the second half as Johnson positioned Heath cleverly into the York 22 to close the game out.

This was a great contest to watch, both sides playing good hard rugby with few unforced errors. Although York created more chances, they didn't take them and Heath did. The final score didn't reflect the game but did mean York didn't pick up a losing bonus point, rubbing further salt into their wound. Man of the match Luke Stockton.
York: Davies, Rae, Dent, Fordy, Burlingham, Shackleton, Atkin, Westaby, Mills, Scholey, Croft, Russell, Fothergill, Du Boulay, Goulding. Rep: Jackson, Croft, Consterdine.
Heath: Johnson, Haynes, Harriott-Brown, Hinchliffe, Morrison, Gallagher, Walsh, Cook, McFadden, Moore, Patrick, Boussaada, Cole, Keighly-Payne, Clough. Rep: Knight, Garrity, Crickmay.
Referee: Mr Steve Penfold