TRINITY 45-14 HAYWARDS HEATH

Following two heavy defeats Trinity supporters were looking forward to a return to winning form on Saturday. 

The early signs were not promising as the opening kick-off went dead and then a high tackle gave Heath the chance to pump the ball into the home 22. Two fine tackles from Archie McMillan and a strong scrum won back possession but then the ball was lost in a tackle and Heath took advantage to put their right winger over in the corner for the opening try, expertly converted from the touchline for a lead of 7-0 after only 4 minutes.  Strong tackling from the kick-off produced better platforms and the visitors were penalised but then touch was missed, a line-out was lost and Heath were allowed to exit and force an attack which was repelled by committed defending by Tom Fairclough. Trinity were not getting the decisions and this was frustrating for supporters.

Then a huge Trinity scrum suddenly put some fire into their play and things began to happen. When Heath were offside Ben Telfer won a good touch and a slick line-out take by Ted Wilkie set up a powerful driving maul. When the ball was spread, a forward pass slowed the momentum, but Trinity kept on the pressure in the scrum and the visitors were so under the cosh that they conceded a string of penalties.  The option of the scrum was an obvious one and patience rewarded them as they pushed over, and Harry Wilson touched down at the base for Trinity’s opening score.  Telfer’s fine kick made it 7-7 after 26 minutes. McMillan put in another big tackle and Trinity were motoring.  Heath had been warned about repeated infringements and, as Trinity kept turning the screw in the scrum, with David Hoffman, Ali Hall and Quinn Singh enjoying their afternoon in the front row, the next penalty meant a yellow card for the visitors. Line -out and maul work was now functioning well, and Heath quickly suffered another yellow card. This created huge space for the dominant home team and, from the next scrum Wilson had little difficulty in popping over for his second try after 35 minutes.

More pressure on a depleted Heath team and some excellent work at the breakdown by Khalil Alleyne yielded a try for Marc McEvilly, converted by Telfer and Fairclough finished a lovely move coming up to half-time when he beat his man on the outside and touched down for a bonus point score. The tally at the interval was 24 -7 to the hosts.

Heath’s kick-off went directly into touch and Trinity were in charge again and now altogether meaner and determined to remain there.  A Heath offside enabled Telfer to find a good touch in the corner and then tidy line-out and maul work, accompanied by the necessary patience, enabled the home pack to drive over. Singh got the touchdown and Telfer converted to make it 31-7. The visitors then produced some nice running rugby with two good passages of play.  However, the home tackling was on song with McMillan, Hall and Wilson all putting in strong hits.

Now Trinity produced some fluid running themselves and a fine move enabled the Wilcox brothers Tom and Olly to show their paces. Ali Hall showed speed on the right wing and a brilliant pick-up by Olly Wilcox saw him dart through, but Heath defended well.  In the next move Trinity’s forwards set up another maul and then the ball was swiftly moved right.  It seemed that Ben Vaillant had done really well to time a scoring pass to Singh only for the try to be ruled out because of a foot in touch-in-goal. Several more onslaughts on the visitors’ line ensued and Ali Hall gleefully forced his way over for the next score, converted by James Duffy.  Heath, to their credit kept playing and ran a promising move.  However, if they needed any further proof that it was not their day, they dropped the ball in midfield and Wilson hacked it through to set up a race from his own 22. He controlled the ball well with his feet and, when he was tackled off the ball, the referee awarded a penalty try.

Heath kept playing and should have had a try when Trinity knocked on near their own line and the referee did not play advantage, even though the visitors were there to pounce.  They did get some consolation at the end when they won a scrum and crossed under the posts for the closing try.

Trinity were very powerful once they got going (with George Daniels ably putting in the full 80 minutes) but will need plenty of this strength when they visit Weybridge Vandals next Saturday in what will be a real test.

MATCH REPORT by Gerry Murphy
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