It all came right in the end for Haywards Heath as they edged past Harlow last week.

Andy Cook's drop goal from in front of the posts deep into injury time salvaged an 11-10 win.

It maintained an amazing unbeaten home record for Heath, dating back to a 31-12 reverse to Winchester in November 1998.

Cook struck from a scrum given for a knock on when Harlow lifted a second row forward into the air to prevent Owen Ashton's long range penalty from creeping over the bar.

But there were a few people around Whitemans Green who wondered whether they should have been given another penalty.

Cook was one of them. He said: "I thought it might have been a deliberate knock on.

"He pushed it down to player in front of him as well which could have been a penalty.

"But we got a good solid scrum and I just got my head down and put boot to ball."

The 'goalkeeper' tactic is certainly a talking point.

There are clearly occasions, including Sussex under-20s' clash with Hertfordshire last season, where the defending player is clearly not trying to catch the ball but gets away without conceding a penalty for a deliberate knock on.

One Sussex referee admitted: "People have been asking me about this. I suppose, in the way you can have a penalty try when a player knocks on deliberately, you could also have a penalty goal. It is one the RFU will probably be looking into."

At least it gave Cook a chance to take centre stage on a welcome return to the No. 10 shirt.

The former Exeter University skipper is usually used at full back by Heath but moved forward to replace the injured Jon Graham.

He said: "No. 10 is where I want to play but for whatever reason I don't get the chance too often.

" I was probably a yard off the pace on Saturday but that comes with making and taking the hits there that I am not used to at full back. But I certainly enjoy playing there."