4:30pm Thursday 5th November 2009
ONLY one point separated the teams, but it was enough for the Tigers to claim their fourth win of the campaign and with it the scalp of title favourites, Esher.
Both teams were relegated at the end of last season and have had to come to terms with life outside the newly-created Championship.
But it has been clear from the opening day of the season that Esher have been committed to bouncing straight back, chalking up eight straight wins.
Sedgley, on the other hand, have shown glimpse of greatness but have lost games they should have won —but not this one.
Buoyed by their success at Launceston the previous week, they went into the game in confident mood and early pressure produced the game’s opening try on eight minutes.
The forwards set the platform for Chris Wilkinson to release quick ball to Phil Jones, who in turn fed wing man Mike Roberts who crossed between the posts, with Steve Nutt kicking the extras.
Sedgley continued to press, forcing Esher into repeated mistakes and the approach paid off again two minutes from half time, when flanker Juan Crous peeled off from the base of a scrum to go over for a try out wide.
Esher’s reply was limited to couple of forays that produced two Sam Ulph penalties, and the Tigers led 12-6 at the break.
The Surrey side started the second half in a much different frame of mind and persistent pressure resulted in Tigers’ Nick Flynn being yellow-carded in the 50th minute and Esher took full advantage to run in two quick tries.
The first came on 52 minutes when Gaynor finished off a driving maul, and the second came five minutes later from a charged down clearance kick, which was grounded by Renwick. Both were converted by Ulph.
But with Sedgley back to full strength, Esher once more struggled to get out of their own half and they began to concede penalties, with Nutt crowning an impressive display by kicking three — the last of which came in the final minute to secure a dramatic victory.
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