RFU National League Two

Stourbridge...45pts

Sedgley Park...24pts

SEDGLEY PARK came back to earth with a bump at windy Stourbridge where the resurgent home team handed out a seven-try hammering.

Sedgley had first use of the strong end-to-end wind, but were slow into their stride.

Scrum-half Dave McCormack was his usual lively self, however, and his excellent run after ten minutes was the team's first real attack.

His inside, would-be scoring pass, was intercepted and was forward in any case, but shortly afterwards Arno de Jager worked a neat scissors with Carlos Hassan who sped through a gap before feeding co-centre Rob Moon who scored.

De Jager was unfortunate to have his conversion charged down illegally, but made no mistake with his next one, following Richard Senior's try from Tim Fourie's inside pass after a handling movement seemed to have broken down.

That, sadly, was the end of Senior's afternoon as he limped off with an apparent re-occurrence of his recent ankle injury.

Stourbridge had done little at this stage, but now they attacked for the first time and Sedgley dealt well with the pressure.

Back onto the attack for Sedgley, Hassan almost picked up an interception try as the Stourbridge pack won the ball on the retreat, but two de Jager penalties increased the lead to 18-0 with just five first half minutes remaining.

Then came the game's pivotal moment. Stourbridge were awarded a free-kick at a line-out on halfway. Number 8 Ian Patten sped through and lock Paul Barker was at his elbow to find scrum half Ben Harvey who scored and converted.

Sedgley did get another penalty to lead 21-7 at the interval, but would this be enough of a lead against the wind in the second half?

It was not. Scenting victory, Stourbridge began at pace and maintained high intensity for the entire 40 minutes. Scrum-half Harvey was everywhere. Kern Yates denied him one try, but he soon scored with a dummy and dart from the base of a scrum.

It was all Stourbridge, but for one brief Sedgley attack spearheaded by de Jager and full-back Chris Glynn that was rewarded with a penalty that kept Sedgley hopes up at 24-14.

Not for long, as the home side scored two tries in quick succession by centre Toby Wilson and a penalty try when Sedgley pulled down a maul near their own line.

With the score at 24-28 with 20 minutes remaining, Sedgley looked out on their feet.

Two minutes later, Harvey broke yet again from the base of a scrum, running diagonally right before feeding wing Tom Beechy who scored, but for the first time in the match Harvey missed the conversion.

Sedgley now put together a fine passage of play that deserved better than the forward pass that ended it, but this was the last chance as Stourbridge continued to hurl themselves into the tackle, a fired-up team if ever there was one.

Sedgley will want to forget the two final tries. A Sedgley line-out throw was gathered by Patten who strode 20 metres unmolested, then a huge drive by the impressive home pack resulted in a try for Neil Mitchell.

On this form Stourbridge will upset some of the league leaders before the season's end.

Sedgley, meanwhile, need to pick themselves up before Saturday's game against Newbury at Park Lane.

On Sunday, Sedgley begin their defence of the Lancashire Cup title with an away game at West Park.

SEDGLEY PARK: Glynn (Scales); Bullough, Moon, Hassan, Morris; De Jager, McCormack; Alcock (Roberts), Keys (Treco), Thomas; Arnold, Stockdale; Senior (Grainey), Yates, Fourie.