A torrential downpour including a hail storm an hour before kick off was the same for both sides so Heath couldn't use that as an excuse for their slow and sloppy start. Failing to take the kick off cleanly for the second week in a row meant the home side were immediately under pressure from a fired up Crawley pack who won possession and immediately made it up and over the Heath try line after only a minute for a 0-5 lead.

Heath tried to find their way back but a lack of focus saw mistakes that turned over the ball and within minutes they were back in their own 22 doing more defending. A transgression from skipper Wilf Bridges saw him in the bin for 10 minutes and Crawley turning the screw with another try for 0-10.

It wasn't until almost halfway through the first period that Heath buckled down and responded by stringing some passes together, working the overlap wide right for winger Matt Cains to score for a 5-10 scoreline.

Bridge's return to the park saw an added momentum and a break from the number 8 took him within two yards of the try line where the ball was quickly recycled for Elliott Higgin to crash over and score. Tom Wharton converted for a 12-10 lead showing the belated reboot of the home side had created the desired momentum.

This was confirmed when a Heath lineout on the ten metre line saw the ball moved to midfield where an electric break from centre Jack Lucas took him past defenders and crash through the last man for a score under the posts. Wharton chipped the extras over for 19-10.

The bonus point try followed shortly after when another break from his own half from Lucas took Heath into the Crawley 22 from where the ball was moved back across midfield where outside half Christian Streater through a long pass which took three defenders out of the game allowing Matt Cains to stroll in for his second of the day and a 24-10 score-line at the break.

Half time saw Heath ease off again and lose concentration allowing Crawley to work their way up the pitch straight from the kick off for their third try which reduced the lead to nine points at 24-15.

Heath played some better looking rugby but couldn't string together any sustained pressure until they were awarded a penalty just to the right of the Crawley posts. Electing for the scrum gave Wilf Bridges the opportunity to pick and go down the blindside before offloading to supporting scrum half Jamie Thurston who nipped over in the corner for a well worked try. Wharton managed to slide over the conversion to see the Heath lead stretch out to 31-15.

Heath was back on track and another well worked move saw quick ball sent wide right for full back Wharton to go over in the corner for 36-15 before Crawley got themselves back on the board with a well deserved bonus point try.

The last try of the game, and Heath's seventh, saw some great inter-passing between forwards and backs before Centre Gabe Moore, taking three defenders with him, powered over in the left hand corner from ten metres out for a final score of 41-20.

The bonus point win sees Heath stay ahead of the chasing pack with one more league game to play, away at second placed Shoreham, for the league decider on the 6th April.

Heath 1st Team Squad: Elliott Higgin; Will Purdy; Joe Elyas; Dan Shotton; Charlie Fenwick; Ellis Dubois; Wilf Bridges [capt]; Lewis Goodall; Jamie Thurston; Christian Streater; Matt Cains; Jack Lucas; Gabe Moore; Takhy Ndiaye Marrero; Tom Wharton; Harry Edwards; James Fleming; Sam Walker