Haywards Heath are taking their battle for improved facilities to Westminster as they home in on the National League.

Heath beat title rivals Hertford 33-15 in a superb contest at rainswept Whitemans Green on Saturday and are on course to finish top of London One.

Skipper Alex Meredith and club chairman Tony Dalby were among a Heath contingent visiting Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames yesterday hoping he could help upgrade their council-owned home ground.

Meredith said: "We need a better pitch, especially if we go up, and our MP is aware of what we want to do."

Heath still face four tough away games but they are in the driving seat after continuing their year-long winning run at home.

Giles Goodburn scored two tries, including a superb first- half effort which saw him carve through midfield and find Andy Cook, whose pass allowed Henry Goodburn to kick back inside for his brother to touch down.

Owen Ashton's conversion and four penalties saw Heath 19-10 up at the break but they lost Henry Goodburn (injured) and Riann Kruger (sin-binned) during a spell of Hertford pressure in the second half.

The visitors capitalised by sending in Peter Waldron at the corner but Meredith harried his opposite number at a close-range scrum, allowing Glenn Rankin to power over for the decisive try.

Ashton converted from touch and also improved Giles Goodburn's last-minute try at the posts.

Kruger and flanker Dan Vander were superb after receiving late call-ups and the pack put in a stirring display under pressure from Hertford's formidable scrummagers.

Meredith added: "Their front row is the best we will come up against. They get very low in the scrum but we got used to that and started taking it to them. The rucking was really good and there were some dynamic moves in the backs."