Sedgley Park RFC 30, Manchester RFC 23

THIS game was billed as the highlight of the season and so it turned out.

With 14 scores, 53 points and a see-saw game which was tied until the last minute, this was first rate entertainment.

In many ways, the contest was similar to that drawn at Manchester earlier in the season with Sedgley on top scoring tries only to have their advantage whittled away by the brilliant goalkicking of Manchester fullback Swindells.

At Grove Park, Sedgley scored four times to two yet only managed a draw. On this occasion it was five tries to one and nobody doubted the better side won.

After just four minutes, Jon Duncan took a top penalty and threw an outrageous dummy to Bob Kimmins, the defence rushed to Kimmins and Duncan strolled in for try number one.

Next came Swindells' first penalty and then a glorious 50-yard try from a scrum.

Rob Smith and Dave Fell fed fullback Damian Smythe at speed. He made a clear break and sent Mike Wilcock over.

Leading 10-3, the tension eased a little for the home crowd but then Swindells took centre stage for penalties two, three and four to put Manchester 12-10 up at half-time, much against the run of play. Seven minutes into the second period and Neil Taylor restarted the Park lead with a penalty but Manchester now had their second wind and Sedgley had to defend, desperately at times.

But nobody shirked and, indeed, some seemed to enjoy their duties.

The next passage of play belonged to Sedgley with two glorious 60-yard moves ending in tries.

The first came after work by Paul Morris and Dave Fell. Mike Wilcock took the ball to the line and Jon Duncan took an awful pass with superb skill to score.

Next, Andy Kimmins put in a tackle to release the ball, it was passed on to Wilcock who sprinted the length of the field, beating four defenders to score.

One of the beaten defenders was Swindells but he made amends with penalties five and six, so Sedgley, with four tries, only led 23-18.

Worse was to come when former Sedgley back rower David Spencer cut through the middle to make it 23-23, but Swindells missed the conversion to prove he was human.

Full-time approached and another draw was on the cards.

Manchester were on the attack, once again Sedgley's defence was stretched, but again the ball was spilled after an Andy Kimmins tackle.

This time it was Smythe who picked up and ran 55 yards for the crowd to erupt. Steve Davidson converted.

Chiquitos' Man of the Match was Smythe and this week it is Kendal away, kick-off 2.15pm.

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