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Heath Retain Trophy in Dominant Display
Thursday 06 of August, 2009 09:10 Age: 1 yrs
Crosfields 18 v 52 Thatto Heath Crusaders
Heath retained the Tom van Vollenhoven Trophy with a ten try destruction of Crosfields in Warrington on Saturday.
Hatto named a strong 19 man team for the game containing much of last year’s squad plus some notable additions who have shown well in the National Conference Summer League squad.
You would have been forgiven for thinking we were still back playing last year for Heath’s opening try as Daz Woods leapt to take a Stotty cross kick and beat his opposite number to the corner.
Defensive frailties on the left flank, which were exposed all day, allowed the speedy Soap winger to scoot in for the first of his hat-trick. When they intercepted a stray Kenny Hughes pass on their own 10 with the field open ahead, those of us of a nervous disposition were starting to sweat a little. But to the rescue came winger Matthew Bell who turned around and chased 80 metres to bring his opposite number down.
Heath were making heavy weather of it and the locals were starting to scent an upset but a period of sustained pressure brought dividends. Stotty spread the ball left and Quinny’s overhead pass was taken high by Woodsy who barged over in the corner.
His hat-trick try minutes later was easily the try of the game. Legger broke down the middle and found Beechy in support. He offloaded to Hughes who gave and took the return pass from Stotty to feed it left to Ste woods who in turn gave it to Jonny Hughes who drew his man giving Daz enough space to speed around his man and go under the sticks for a wonderful team try.
When Ste Woods crossed minutes later after interpassing with his brother the game was as good as won.
Matthew Bell got his name on the score sheet taking a Hughes flip pass to score wide on the right but got caught himself as the Soap scored on the overlap at the end of the half.
Soap’s winger completed his hat-trick early in the second half to give the home side a sniff but two Heath tries in three minutes took the wind out of their sails. First Jonny Hughes finished off Scott Clarke’s good work and then Daniel Brennan was in support to benefit from Quinny’s inside pass.
A dropped ball on our 40 gave Soap’s scrum half the easiest of tries as Heath had started to become a little ragged. Normality was restored as Beechy went the final 40 metres to the posts after Scott had scampered around the defensive line to put him clear.
Belly got his second finishing off Daz Woods’s break as the winger just about managed to reach half way!
And there was just time for Kenny Hughes to break blind from a scrum deep in Heath’s half give it inside to DJ who fed Maddocks to go under the sticks. With Quinny off the pitch we were treated to the bizarre sight of Beechy (yes Beechy!) converting (good job it was in front of the sticks!).
As first workouts of the season go it was a decent display. The forwards led by Mick Legger went well and both wingers showed what pace can do in attack and defence. Kenny Hughes showed flashes of the class he’s been exhibiting all summer and Quinny was the rock at the back that we’ll rely on all season.
But the defensive lapses, one man rugby phases and sleepy patches will have to be ironed out before the white hot atmosphere of next weeks derby v Pilks at Close Street.
Rest of the pictures
picasaweb.google.com/thattoheathcrusaders/TVVTrophy2009.
Crosfields
1. Dave Pennington
2. Phil Bannon
3. Fraser Lineker
4. Robert Ditchfield
5. Ian Bowden
6. Anthony Monks
7. Mike Johnson
8. John Pickersgill
9. Richard Hough
10. Dave Bowden
11. Matty Pitt
12. Craig Noone
13. Danny Inman
14. Matty Barber
15. Danny Lowe
16. Jimmy Williams
17. Terry Reid
18. James Glover
19. Ian Hannon
20. Dave Lucas
Thatto Heath Crusaders
1. Shaun Quinn
2. Darren Woods
3. Jonny Hughes
4. David Johnson
5. Matthew Bell
6. Andy Stott
7. Kenny Hughes
8. Mick Ledger
9. Kieron Maddocks
10. Martin Shea
11. Lee Gannon
12. Ste Woods
13. Mark Beech
14. James Hitchmough
15. Glenn Holland
16. Scott Clarke
17. Daniel Brennan
18. Paul Rigby
19. Adam Anders
Crosfields:
Tries : Phil Bannon 3, Mike Johnson.
Goals : Matty Barber.
Thatto Heath Crusaders:
Tries : Darren Woods 3, Jonny Hughes, Matthew Bell 2, Kieron Maddocks, Ste Woods, Mark Beech, Daniel Brennan.
Goals : Shaun Quinn 5, Mark Beech.
Half Time : Crosfields 8-26 Thatto Heath Crusaders
Full Time : Crosfields 18-52 Thatto Heath Crusaders
