Heath hold edge in tightest tussle

■By JOHN ALLANSON

Bishop's S…………… 14 Blackheath ………… 18

APART from some typically robust defence, Stortford just couldn't get going against a Blackheath side also struggling for form.

The visitors were the first on the scoreboard after seven minutes with a penalty by Jake Hennessy.

But Stortford countered immediately with a try to Alex Wardell, after Luis Ball had charged down a clearance kick. Connor Lloyd converted.

Almost from the restart, Stortford were penalised for not releasing at the tackle and Matt Dalrymple kicked an excellent penalty.

The half finished with Blackheath taking full advantage of another poor clearance kick to run through several phases and score a try, with Ollie Walliker touching down and Dalrymple converting well from out wide.

NathanIn the second half, both sides were frustrated by multiple small individual errors, which allowed defences to dominate, with each side being restricted to a single try.

Blackheath's came after 47 minutes, through Tom Baldwin from the base of a ruck after yet another poor Stortford defensive kick, with Matt Riddington touching down for Stortford six minutes from time, following some rare expansive rugby.