Sedgley Tigers Sail To First Win

Sedgley Tigers began their campaign in National Two North this weekend with an impressive 36-0 home victory over Caldy.

With their first game in National Two North, after being relegated from National One last year and narrowly losing out to Fylde in their final pre-season game last weekend, Tigers were looking to make an emphatic start to the season.

However, seasoned campaigners, Caldy, travelled from the Wirral to Manchester looking to set an early season marker of their own.

The visiting side dominated the game’s opening 10 minutes, hammering Sedgley’s line with some powerful running.

Tigers were up to the challenge, though, with strong and organised defence snubbing the early onslaught. Caldy, who could not find a way over the line, lost good field position and attacking ball.

As Caldy’s early pressure subsided, the home side began to get there selves into the game, with clinical wide-running rugby and central power running.

Sedgley inside centre, Chris Wilkinson, capitalised on this early movement and opened a gap in the Caldy defence for tight head proper, Ben Black, to barge over the line for the game’s first score. After a missed kick in the blustery conditions, Tigers led 5-0.

Sedgley were motivated more by the early score and began to turn up the heat once again; powering a driving maul deep into the Caldy 22. Scrum half Paul Urmston had plenty of running options to choose from, but managed to find fly half, Steve Collins, who slipped through the Caldy defence and touch down under the posts.

The visiting side hit back hard, with some big forward pressure deep inside the Caldy 22. A visiting try seemed imminent, with only impressive last-gasp defence keeping the home side away from danger.

As the halftime whistle went, the home side returned into the changing rooms leading 12-0.

After the half-time break, Sedge began with a bang in what was a completely one-sided affair, with the Tigers’ pack completely dominating proceedings.

The home side were moving the ball at will, making the Caldy defence work incredibly hard just to keep up. Continual hard running from the Tigers, most notably from captain Juan Crous, opened holes in the Caldy line; eventually creating one big enough for Matt Riley to go over on 49 minutes.

The Tigers’ onslaught did not relent, with more impressive rugby from captain Crous, who began to wear down the Caldy side. Quick hands created space for an overlap to see fullback Rob Holloway running over the line for his first try in Sedgley colours.

The game concluded with a final try for the Tigers, as back row Johnny Bishop crossed in the corner to complete a dominating first win of the season for Sedgley.

Final Score:
Sedgley Park 36 – Caldy 0

Sedgley will be looking to continue their first week’s form as they travel to Preston Grasshoppers next Saturday.