Haywards Heath have clinched a prime home cup tie after making a winning start to the season.

That tussle with Richmond will, however, take second place for now as they plan for the start of the National League campaign.

Heath were 23-19 home winners over Basingstoke on Saturday in a Powergen Cup first round tie to set up a meeting with Richmond, who are unbeaten for three years.

First though comes that long-awaited National Three South debut at home to Tabard on Saturday.

Skipper Alex Meredith and his men were encouraged by victory over their league rivals.

Dave Wattam scored both tries and new boy Jon Groenen kicked two conversions and three penalties, though Heath felt they should have won more convincingly.

Meredith said: "We didn't play particularly well as a team.

"At times we had overlaps but instead of taking them the player with the ball tried to score himself."

Richmond only scraped past Canterbury by a point while Tabard lost to Sutton and Epsom but early season cup results can be a poor indicator of what lies ahead.

As well as former Eastbourne centre Groenen, Heath gave debuts to overseas players Will DeGruchy and Will Bauer up front.

Long-serving wing Henry Goodburn admitted: "They were very impressive."

The Richmond tie is a week on Saturday with the winners away to Wakefield.

Worthing should have made a winning start in London One rather than going down 19-15 at Bishop's Stortford.

The depleted Sussex side edged into a 15-12 lead on 80 minutes when Steve Dove was driven over at a lineout and Ben Coulson converted.

They then failed to find touch and Stortford stole in for an injury-time try.

Worthing coach Ian Davies admitted: "When we scored I felt we had used our get out of jail card early.

"Then they scored but, to be honest, over the course of the game they probably just edged it. They made less mistakes than us."

Coulson scored a try and kicked a penalty to keep Worthing in the contest but Tony Cruz (knee) and Simon alcott (back) were added to the injury list Barns Green had a great result in the Powergen Junior Vase, winning 19-10 at East Dorset.

Lewes eased their way into the new season with a 26-5 friendly defeat of East Grinstead with the back row of Ben Sole, Nick Giles and Chris Brant catching the eye. Matt Sole, Sean Taylor, Duncan Barton and Dave Tyrrell scored tries.