SEDGLEY PARK...19

NEWBURY...10

SEDGLEY maintained their early season 100 per cent record but it was a close run thing against a spirited Newbury team, and the result remained in doubt almost to the final whistle.

Heavy rain before the start made for wet conditions and a strong cross-wind made handling difficult, although Sedgley almost had a try from the kick-off.

Carlos Hassan just failed to take the pass which would have put him through to the posts.

Newbury's Fraser Jones then missed a penalty before Arno de Jager's successful kick put Sedgley ahead after six minutes.

Another penalty put Sedgley 6-0 up, but this was against the run of play as Newbury's pack impressed.

Sedgley's scrum was under pressure and Tim Fourie kept busy tidying up from number eight. In the end, the pressure proved too much.

Penalty led to line-out and a drive for the line and stand-off Jo Czerpak threaded a grubber kick through for centre Jones to score and convert.

A horrible mix-up when two Sedgley players allowed a high kick to bounce between them, brought a try for Newbury centre Morgan Davis, but thereafter matters improved as Sedgley finally picked up some momentum.

De Jager kicked his third penalty, reward for some Sedgley pressure, but Newbury re-took the lead through a Jones penalty.

First half injury time was being played when Sedgley scored a particularly fine try. Fourie's powerful run was continued by lock Willie Stockdale, Kern Yates provided the link, Hassan cleverly switched the direction of the attack and Richard Senior raced over between the posts.

De Jager's conversion put his team 16-10 up at half-time, but with the Newbury pack still looking strong, and with the slope to face now, the game was far from won.

In the event, Sedgley made an excellent start to the second half. Once again the impressive Fourie made the break, Mark Lloyd supported and switched the ball in-field where Ian Voortman charged through.

The move deserved a try but Sedgley had to settle for another penalty goal.

Newbury were finding themselves penalised with some frequency as the quicker Sedgley team excelled in the tackle area and it came as no surprise when the referee consigned centre, Davis, to the bin.

The game livened up for a while, with visitors' full-back Malcolm Roberts repeatedly finding gaps, and Sedgley were indebted to Dave McCormack for a couple of important tackles.

Then it was Sedgley's turn to threaten, a counter-attack launched by De Jager and supported by prop Gareth Roberts, and another from an excellent Ross Bullough catch, which launched co-wing Jim Naylor on a chase to the line in which he was beaten by a nose.

Good, exciting stuff, but then the game fizzled out as Newbury's attack was met by a resolute defence, and the nine-point lead was never seriously threatened. Sedgley remain at the top of the table, equal on points with Wharfedale, who beat Esher. Sedgley visit Esher tomorrow.

SEDGLEY: De Jager, Bullough, Hassan, Voortman, Lowdon, Ueckermann, McCormack, Roberts, Keys, Thomas, Senior, Stockdale, Lloyd, Yates, Fourie. Subs: Wilkinson, Naylor, Oxley, Pinnick.

There will be a fireworks display on Sunday at Park Lane for all the family.

A family of four ticket costs £6 or admission is £2 per person with the big bang beginning at 6.30pm.

People are asked not to bring their own fireworks.