National League Two

Doncaster...30pts Sedgley Park...35pts

THIS was a wonderful, pulsating match in which Sedgley Park hung on for a win that keeps their promotion hopes burning brightly into the New Year.

Despite an inauspicious beginning when their pack was twice wheeled off the ball in the scrum, Sedgley enjoyed a dream first 25 minutes during which time they scored three tries.

Arno de Jager opened the scoring with a 35-metre penalty after strong play by prop Matt Alcock.

Another penalty led to a line-out which Willie Stockdale won, Alcock provided the link, and Paul Arnold strode through a huge gap to score near the posts; de Jager converted.

Sedgley were finding plenty of gaps in Doncaster's mid-field and almost scored again when full-back Rob Moon ran back a kick and combined with forwards Gareth Roberts and Ian Grainey, but an excellent tackle by the experienced Derek Eves came to the home team's rescue.

Then, from untidy possession from a scrum 10 metres out, stand-off de Jager somehow bounced and wriggled his way through half the Doncaster pack to score a try which he himself converted.

Sedgley's pack was still struggling in the scrums, but the rucks and mauls were a different story, and it was from a driven maul that Stockdale reached out a long arm to get the touchdown.

With the score at 22-0, Doncaster had hardly featured, but now they showed they too could play as centre Richard Poskitt cut through at pace before spoiling his good work with a poor pass.

The balance of power was beginning to shift, though, with left wing Chris Conway looking a real threat for the Yorkshire side.

Stand-off Rob Liley reduced the arrears by three points for an offence for which Stockdale was sin-binned, and then converted a try by number 8 Mike Brookes from a driven maul.

Sedgley were wobbling, but Doncaster lost possession on their own 22 and scrum-half Dave McCormack launched an attack which was held up in the right corner.

Possession was retained and some smooth handling brought a try wide out left for the elusive Moon.

The conversion hit a post, but Sedgley led 27-10 at the end of a breathless first half, a lead that was soon cut to 11 points as Liley kicked two early second half penalties.

A wonderful run by wing Paul Morris set up the position for a de Jager penalty goal, but this was against the run of play and it came as no surprise when Eves broke away to score between the posts.

The lead was down to seven points, with 20 minutes remaining. Sedgley needed to dig deep. A brilliant one-touch pass by Jim Naylor seemed to have brought a try for wing Ross Bullough, but the pass was adjudged forward.

Sedgley continued to battle, with number 8 Richard Senior performing miracles at the base of a retreating scrum, and it was during this 15-minute period when the game was won.

Possession was gained and held. Doncaster were pinned inside their own 22 and finally, after a long and patient build-up, Naylor sneaked over in the corner from the base of a ruck.

Doncaster needed to score twice and, despite an unbelievable eight minutes of injury-time, they managed only the one try from a rolling maul, touched down by flanker Geoff Jones and, inevitably, converted from the touchline by the phenomenal Liley.

This outstanding win keeps Sedgley in sixth place, just three points off the promotion spot and with home games still to come against four of the teams above. The first of these is against Harrogate on January 4.

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