Tigers ready for tough Blackheath test (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

Tigers ready for tough Blackheath test

10:39am Thursday 1st October 2009

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HEAD coach Rich Senior insists there will be no complacency from his Sedgley Tigers side at Blackheath on Saturday.

The Whitefield men got back to winning ways by ending Tynedale’s unbeaten start to the season at the weekend and Senior is keen to see his players build on that performance in London.

The Tigers were coasting it at 20-8 at half-time against Tynedale in National Division One, but had to survive intense pressure in the second half before emerging 23-22 winners.

Senior says the Tigers must put right what they did wrong in that second half, and believes they have every chance of returning with the points if they do.

“We played very well for 40 minutes,” he reflected on the Tynedale victory which made it two wins and two defeats in their opening four games in National League One.

“Then we lost control of the ball and let them pressurise us. That led to them scoring two tries but we dogged it out in a difficult situation to get a win which gave us a lot of satisfaction.”

The victory lifted the Tigers to the lower end of mid-table on nine points, but with only two points separating them from the five teams above them, a victory at Blackheath would give the league table a far more pleasant look from their point of view.

With the London side having lost all four of their opening games and currently struggling on one point, the Tigers will see Saturday’s match as an opportunity to move up the league.

But Senior is warning his side not to expect anything other than a tough 80 minutes.

“It won’t be easy on Saturday,” he said. “Blackheath have been around for a long time and they know what it’s all about.

“We won’t be taking anything for granted. If we play as well as we are capable of then we will have a good chance of winning the game.”

Senior has confidence is his team’s ability to rise into the upper echelons of the table if they put their game together.

“We believe we are capable of beating everyone in the league on our day,” he said.

“If we work hard and play as we can we will be up near the top of the league.

“If we don’t we have to analyse where we go wrong and work to put it right.”

The Tigers will be at full strength apart from being without Juan Crous who will serve the last of a three-match ban.

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