"Best bags three as Heath BOOKS PLACE IN FINAL"
Chichester 12 v Haywards Heath 61

It's easy to get drawn into a round of hyperbole to describe Heath's performance on Sunday, but such is the progress of this young side that it's hard to do them justice without it.

Although the mid-Sussex side have met stiffer opposition this season, the cold north-westerly wind that swept along the South coast on Sunday was met by a hot blast from a fiery fifteen from Heath that melted their opposition's attempts to cause a late upset in League A.

THE RESULT CONFIRMS HEATH'S PLACE IN THE FINAL ON 24TH MARCH AND SITS THEM AT THE TOP OF LEAGUE A ABOVE HOVE.

Jack Best capped a fine display from the mid-Sussex side with a hatrick of tries and added a strong defensive performance too.

On a dry firm pitch Heath demonstrated they are not just a forward dominant side. Heath's half backs were sharp and decisive. Crocker and Edwards paired up in midfield for the first time this year and carried deep into Chichester's territory. Loose forwards Filskow and Man of the Match Donovan ran like extras backs and Johnson fizzed and buzzed like a ball of Berocca and bagged a brace for good measure.

Chi came with big forwards and a renown kicking game, but Heath never gave them a yard. In a highly combative defensive effort, Heath smashed any efforts from the home side, turned ball over and did so without a single first-half penalty.

But it was in attack that Heath looked sublime. So quick were the hands, the offloads and the pace on the ball that the tries came thick and fast, and the try bonus point was secured in just under 14 minutes.

With 11 tries this was an annihilation of a respectable home team. The pick of the tries came from Best after Crocker broke free and offloaded out wide; from Johnson who ran in from 40 yards after White single handedly destroyed a Chi ruck, picked up and fed the Sussex 9; and from Field who picked a sumptuous line off Filskow late on.

Chi came back briefly in the game after Heath passed the forty mark, but it was only after Heath shuffled the deck to try out new permutations, and the home team deserved their two tries.

But Heath did what they have learned to do so well. Regroup, reorganise and come back stronger. Filskow, now a wonderfully influential leader, led Heath back to order. He grafted with the back row of Donovan, Erritt and Jackson until Chichester could no longer cope with their unceasing physicality. Ward and Harris drove hard and tight lines, Ure splintered rucks to secure possession and Chichester's best efforts lay bloodied, bruised and beaten in every quarter of their game.

This is a stronger and more complete side than the one that narrowly lost to Hove in November - all local boys who have grown together over several seasons, with a unmatched team spirit and unity that makes this a very, very special side.