Beasty clinches 5-point win

Matt Beasty’s second touch down of the game in the closing stages gave the North Dean men a four-try bonus point and moved them out of the relegatioon zone.

Head coach Dave Harrison had described it as a must-win game after numerous near misses and his players at last delivered.

Eddie Cartwright returned to full back with Jack Sheldrake at centre and Si Brown on the wing in a back line beginning to find form.

Heath’s pack was bolstered by the return of Howard Hanks and Ben Maxwell. On the bench were Martyn Barnes, Tobias Hinchliffe and Fergus Marsden.

Forwards Richard Brown and Tom Baxter made early in-roads for Heath and lineout ball from Beasty and Ben Maxwell helped Heath gradually get on top.

With the backs starting to click it came as no surprise to see Matt Beasty pop up for Heath’s first try after 12 minutes.

Ezra Hinchliffe added a superb conversion and then crossed the try line on 18 minutes for a 12-0 lead.

Heath continued on the front foot with Olly Cook and Brown prominent. Cartwright caught a high ball and the supporting Hinchliffe released Alex McFadden, who tore into the Selby defence.

Hinchliffe missed a penalty on 18 minutes and Luke Saltenstall drove for the Selby try line following a clever kick from Dom Walsh. Then Sheldrake linked well with Brown as Heath controlled the game.

It wasn’t until the 30th minute that Selby mounted their first real attack and they came away with a converted try after scrum half Danny Wilkinson touched down and Josh Cruise added the extras.

Cruse kicked a penalty three minutes later and at 12-10 Heath supporters were starting to fear the worst.

Heath frustrations grew and Chris Moore was sin-binned just before half time.

After the interval Selby misjudged the restart, conceding a scrum, and Sheldrake set up a charge. On 47 minutes a penalty from Hinchliffe made it 15-10.

However, from the restart woeful tackling from Heath saw Selby winger Duncan Hardy score in the corner and when Cruise converted the visitors were in front 17-15.

Moore returned and Heath got back on top, Hinhcliffe landing penalties on 50 and 65 minutes for a 21-17 lead.

James Robson linked well with Sheldrake and Cartwright to set up a scrum on the Selby line. Controlled work from Number 8 Brown enabled him to score Heath’s third try on 73 minutes.

Selby kept fighting and Cruise added a penalty on 75 minutes to make it 26-20, only for Beasty to pop up and score his second. Hinchliffe’s conversion helped Heath move further clear.

Heath sit 11th at the half-way point of the season with a game in hand after the abandonment of the Old Brodleians game. They face unbeaten Bridlington next week.