Haywards Heath's survival bid has been hit by injury to skipper Alex Meredith.

The Heath scrum half suffered medial ligament damage putting in some overtime in a second team fixture.

Meredith, only playing to assess the form of new outside half Richard Dix, limped off just after half-time against Thanet Wanderers. Heath won the match 85-5.

Mark Pymm, who has played scrum half before but is better known as a winger, takes over at No. 9 for the trip to title-chasing Blackheath in National Three South tomorrow.

Teenager Sam Hutton plays at tight head, one of two forwards making their first starts for the club. The other is experienced back row man John Lake.