RFU NATIONAL LEAGUE THREE (NORTH)

SEDGLEY PARK...39, STOURBRIDGE...20

IN front of a bumper crowd, the two best teams in the league produced a wonderful game of rugby.

It was fast and skilful and uncompromisingly hard up front, and Sedgley came through this sternest of tests to take over the leadership from their opponents.

Stourbridge settled the quicker and might have scored twice in the first ten minutes. Simon Baylie, their captain and goal-kicking prop, was off target with an early penalty and a dangerous attack would have led to a try in the corner, but the ball was turned back inside and the covering Dave McCormack made the vital attack. Having survived this torrid period, Sedgley began to play with their accustomed composure. Colin Sephens quickly found the key to unlock a fast-advancing defensive line, his first grubber kick bouncing obligingly into the hands of Paul Morris, whose pass to Kern Yates was just forward.

The second kick brought the score, Stephens' pace allowing him to win the race to the line.

Sedgley were really buzzing now, but a handling error when on attack cost them three points. Sion O'Hare fell on the loose ball to prevent a try, the team was penalised, Baylie kicked the goal.

Moments later, Stourbridge lost control of a scrummage ball, McCormack was in quickly to seize possession. Richard Senior made the break with a typically powerful 40-metre run and McCormack was in support to touch down for the try.

Sedgley's smaller pack was doing well and it was good, driving play by them that set-up the next scoring chance. Behind the scrum, Sedgley were definitely better and Rob Moon cut a nice angle to score from a long pass.

There was no room for complacency, though. A lightning attack by the visitors was halted only by Moon's fine tackle and the huge Stourbridge forwards, rumbling down the slope, battered away at the Sedgley line.

Eventually, the home team ran out of tacklers and centre Jacob John scored in the corner, Baylie adding a great conversions. Sedgley made the ideal start to the second half, Stourbridge made a mess of their kick-off reception and the Sedgley pack rumbled over for a try. Andy Kimmins claimed it and Stephens converted it.

At this stage, everything was going well for Sedgley. The scrum was rock solid, even though prop Matt Alcock was giving away five stones -- or more -- to the giant Nathan Webber.

Behind the scrum, halves McCormack and Stephens, full-back Moon and wing Wilcock all looked sharper than their opposite numbers, but it was a mistake by the backs, compounded by a bit of pass-the-parcel, that led to Stourbridge's second try, scrum-half Duncan Hughes out-pacing the cover. Baylie's touchline conversion hit the cross-bar.

Three minutes later, Sedgley regained their 14 point lead. From another encouragingly solid scrum, Tim Fourie picked up and drove to the right. From the ruck, the ball was quickly switched back left, Moon made the half-break and Mike Wilcock, on the 'wrong' got the try.

Sedgley were by now in serene control. Fourie was held up over the line after a long and patient build-up, a period that was rewarded with a Stephens penalty.

Two minutes later the backs ran the angles, Paul Morris scoring from Moon's well-timed pass. The conversion made it 39-15 and the result was beyond doubt.

With Sedgley's scrummage struggling in the closing stages, Stourbridge got a consolation try, Baylie the scorer, but the day belonged to Cris Raducanu's men -- and of the 15 heroes on the pitch no-one had battled harder than the big Romanian.

The best game of rugby ever seen at Park Lane, was the opinion of some.

SEDGLEY PARK: Moon, Wilcock, O'Hare, Scales, Morris, Stephens, McCormack, Alcock, Tresco, Ridehalgh, Kimmins, Raducanu, Senior, Yates, Fourie. Subs: Roberts, Whitehouse, Bullough.

Tomorrow the team face a tricky test at relegation threatened Sandal.