COVENTRY 18, SEDGLEY PARK 19: Sedgley Park boosted their survival hopes by becoming the first team this season to come away from Coventry's Butts Arena with victory.

In a hard fought game, Sedgley's determination and spirit overcame the home team, who boasted six internationals in their squad.

Coventry kicked off and a poor clearance kick put the visitors under immediate pressure but the Park defence held firm.

Eventually, Sedgley broke out and Coventry were penalised but Blair Feeney's kick fell just short.

The game flowed from end to end and the home side took the lead when Mark Leek punished a Park offside with a penalty goal.

The Whitefield team were quick to equalise as Feeney converted a penalty.

Park continued on the offensive and had several passages of back play before the Midlanders fell foul of the referee and Feeney put Park in front with a good kick.

From the restart Sedgley's forwards drove the bigger Coventry pack some 30 metres with a great rolling maul.

Feeney drove them to within 10 metres of their line with a fine kick but unfortunately Park lost the resulting line out and an opportunity was lost.

Coventry eventually came more into the game and when Sedgley were very harshly penalised, the home team moved the ball through several phases before driving Kisi Pulu over for a try which Leek converted.

At this stage, Coventry were enjoying quality possession and put their visitors under pressure but great defensive play kept the home side at bay.

Feeney eventually raised the siege with a fine run with Naylor and Voortman in support but Coventry came offside to prevent a deserved Park score.

Park were dominating in the scrum and in the mauls but the line out was a concern for the Sedgley following.

Park kicked off in the second half for Richard Senior to make a good break but he ran out of support before Coventry were penalised for an early tackle.

However, Feeney was wide with the kick and Coventry broke clear, adding a penalty to their score when the Lancastrians were penalised for offside.

Back came Park but the home side defended well and lost a line out; allowing Coventry to score a second try when they moved the ball forward quickly.

Park's fantastic spirit came to the fore and from a wonderful scrum, the backs moved the ball to Richard Welding who cut through the home defence for a wonderful try, which Feeney converted.

Sedgley had their tails up and pressurised the Midlanders and eventually the referee penalised Coventry for persistent "pulling down the maul."

Feeney converted and repeated the dose some five minutes before time with a 40 metre kick which proved to be the winning kick.

This was a hard fought team effort where everyone played to a standstill.

More performances like this and Park will climb the table rapidly.

SEDGLEY: De Jager, Feeley, Naylor, Voortman, Welding, Feeney, Wilkinson, Thomas, Du Plessis, Oxley, Fourie, Lund, Senior, Ponton, Skurr. Substitutes: Collie, Glynn, Hall, Hassan (for Naylor, 67), Keys (for Oxley, 62), Lourens, McCormack (for Wilkinson, 62)

l Sedgley, one of the five clubs tipped for relegation, saw fellow strugglers London Welsh beat fellow strugglers Nottingham, 34-20.

Elsewhere, Henley lost 27-7 at Rotherham and Park's Lancashire neighbours Orrell went down 31-13 at home to Penzance & Newlyn.