Morpeth rugby blown off course on first trip to Heath

It was the first time Morpeth had visited Heath and in fine, sunny conditions they received the kick and in the early exchanges both teams tested each other out and after eight minutes Ward scored, and Ben Hornby converted 0-7.

Heath came straight back at Morpeth and kept the ball well, however Morpeth defended stoically but after conceding three penalties near their line, Heath scored from a lineout drive in the left-hand corner and after a superb conversion levelled the scores – 7-7 after 20 minutes.

Morpeth themselves started to put a few phases together and Hornby was just wide with a penalty after 28 minutes. 35 minutes gone and Heath kicked a penalty, in front of the posts, 10-7 and that remained the score till half time.

Hornby drew level with a penalty on 50 minutes – 10-10. With both teams having their share of the ball Morpeth’s number 8, Williams, was unfortunate to receive a yellow card and Heath’s 10 kicked the resultant penalty – 13-10 with 60 minutes gone.

The home side then had a period of sustained pressure in the Morpeth 22 and just before Williams returned to the field, they scored a converted try to make it 20-10 with 70 minutes gone. Morpeth made two changes with Yilmaz coming on for veteran Moody and Turner coming on the left wing, for Wood.

Back to a full complement Morpeth took the game to Heath and on 75 minutes the hard-working Josh McKay got a try, on his first start, after good work by Ward and Turner to make the score 20-15.

Morpeth continued to battle but just ran out of time against Heath side who currently have a habit of being able to see a game out.

This was a good game of rugby, at an impressive set up, where Morpeth just came up short against a well organised outfit and now look forward to another visit to Yorkshire, next week, to Malton and Norton, in a re-arranged game.

Scoops Man of the Match – Sam Hornby.