by Bryan Waters
SEDGLEY Tigers’ chances of staying in National League One have become virtually impossible, after they were thrashed 62-7 by table-topping Ealing Trailfinders at Park Lane. A try from Jimmy Lloyd and the subsequent conversion by Matt Riley was all they had to show for their first-half efforts. But things got even worse after the break.
Trailing 29-7 at the change round, they failed to register a further score as the visitors added 33 more.
Philip Chesters scored six tries for Ealing in front of a crowd of 199.
The result leaves the Whitefield men 22 points adrift of safety, with just five games remaining, and Geoff Roberts’ side are now facing the prospect of dropping out of the division.
Sedgley are still hopeful of pulling off a great escape and have an outside chance with only one of their five remaining games against a side in the top half of the division.
With just one victory in their last 12 outings, Sedgley are in the midst of an awful run of form and in dire need of a dramatic change in fortune.
Nevertheless, four of their five wins this season have come on home soil, and with three games left to play at Park Lane, they have still not given up hope completely.
Wharfedale – Sedgley’s last victims – are the club sitting directly above the Tigers but they need to leapfrog both them and fourth-bottom Macclesfield to survive.
And Roberts will be hoping the Tigers amend their poor recent record to do just that.
Cinderford awaits the Tigers on Saturday with a trip to Gloucestershire providing their next opportunity to gain some vital points.
Tigers lost the corresponding fixture 39-24 at Whitefield earlier this season, and Cinderford are in good form, following a 34-32 victory away at third placed Blaydon last weekend.
With bottom-of-the-table Cambridge to come to Sedgley Park, a win away at Cinderford would provide a big boost for the Tigers.
But results will have to change for Sedgley if they want to remain a National League One side.
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