RFU National League Two

Sedgley Park...17pts Preston Grasshoppers...12pts

SEDGLEY PARK were extremely proud of a home record which ran to 21 league victories in succession before this game, but Preston Grasshoppers came desperately close to causing an upset at Park Lane on Saturday.

The mark of a good side, it is said, is to win even when playing poorly, and Sedgley's promotion push is still on the rails -- just.

The first quarter was not inspiring. In perfect playing conditions, errors abounded. Both sides were guilty but Grasshoppers had the better of the early exchanges, including the first scoring opportunity, a penalty kick which was missed.

Big Preston lock, Josh Williams, broke some tackles to leave Sedgley scrambling in defence, while the home team's best moment came from an Alun Peacock, Tim Fourie counter-attack. Fully 16 minutes had passed before Sedgley gained a toe-hold in Preston territory, and that was short-lived.

A penalty award gave Sedgley the chance to clear their line, but Rob Moon failed to find touch, the powerful Williams once again burst through and stand-off, Michael Lough, scored near the posts for Paul Bailey to convert.

A great break by scrum-half, Dave McCormack, looked like pulling back a try for Park but he was tackled by Preston wing, Gary Monaghan, a fine effort by him. Rob Moon and wing Paul Morris, continued the attack however, and Sedgley were rewarded with a penalty but Moon's kick was off target and his team trailed 7-0 at half-time.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Sedgley were on the attack, using Jon Scales to try to force his way through the centre, but pressure did not lead to points and when Grasshoppers finally broke out, they almost scored from a line-out. Sedgley seemed to have cleared the danger when Moon kicked long down-field. He appeared to be held back after kicking, allowing Preston to counter-attack, and Sedgley were further upset when an apparent knock-on went unnoticed, allowing Lough to score his second try.

Fortunately for the home team, Bailey failed to convert and then missed an easy penalty, but Sedgley trailed 12-0 as the game entered its final quarter.

So far, play had been uninspiring -- an untidy mess round the tackle and ruck areas and no room to move in mid-field. Someone needed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and make something happen.

By his own incredibly high standards, Rob Moon had not been having a good afternoon, but he it was who provided the spark when it really mattered.

A good run by Kern Yates, with hooker Paul Keyes in support, had put Sedgley on the attack. Moon then ran at Preston's defensive line, threaded a kick through a small gap, and the ball bounced obligingly back into his hands for a try which he himself converted.

Five minutes later he did it again. Pinned against the touchline by what seemed a well-placed Preston kick, the New Zealander again showed that priceless ability to beat his man with no space to work in.

Paul Morris was in support, came off his wing at the exact moment to take the inside pass and show the cover defence a clean pair of heels for a 60-metre try. 12-12.

Grasshoppers attacked furiously but Sedgley hung on and deep into injury time of this error-strewn encounter, Preston made the mistake that was to cost them the game, dropping the ball inside their own 22.

Sedgley camped out on the line until the final five-metre scrum in the left corner. All or nothing now, and the ball was flung along the back line for Mike Wilcock to score in the opposite corner. Relief was unconfined!

SEDGLEY PARK: Wilcock, O'Hare, Scales, Morris, Moon, McCormack, Alcock, (Johnson), Keyes, (Treco), Latham, Arnold, Grainey, Senior, Yates, Fourie.

No game this Saturday because of Newbury's cup commitments, thus giving Sedgley's injury-hit troops a fortnight to recover before the visit of high-flying Plymouth Albion on December 1.