THE Tigers went down to London Welsh full of confidence - perhaps too much confidence - and were out-fought and out-played according to a less than impressed Andy Northey, by a rejuvenated Exiles side who ran out 32-17 winners after leading just 17-10 at half-time.

A first half try from Jonny Roddam and a second half touchdown from Chris Hall, along with two conversions and a penalty from Phil Jones made it 17-17 after 44 minutes, but Welsh simply wanted it more and crowned their win with a gift of an interception try.

Full report to follow.

LONDON WELSH          32

SEDGLEY PARK           17 

National League Division One 

IF the Tigers had won just 50 per cent of the games they should have, they would have been in the top half of the National Division One Table by now. As it is they are still in the bottom four, no doubt thankful for the 12 point gap that separates them from Moseley, who occupy the second relegation spot.

As if it was needed this game was the perfect reminder of just why they are not higher up the standings. It was another one where the prefix ‘out’ was the best way to describe the Tigers’ performance. Who says so? Backs coach Andy Northey, that’s who.

“Out-enthused, out-muscled, out-thought and out-played. They knew that if they won they were as safe as houses in National One. As a result they played us off the park and we were lucky to get 17 points,” was his considered verdict.“

They looked like a team that wanted to win; we looked like a team that was hoping we might win if we all turned up. That is the wrong attitude, we don’t like it and we will address it.”

The first quarter was pretty even, with Welsh struggling to get the ball past their centres, while Sedgley achieved that but then fumbled whenever they got it wide, with unforced errors and a lack of composure denying them at least three scores. The only points on the board were the penalties kicked by the Exiles’ Sam Ulph and the Tigers’ Phil Jones.

When Welsh finally did manage to swing the ball safely out to their wingers they both grabbed a brace of touchdowns apiece.

The first arrived in the 25th minute. Possession won at a lineout 18 metres from the Tigers’ line was fed blindside and right winger James Strong lived up to his name, forcing himself over by the right corner flag. Ulph then converted to put the Exiles into a 10-3 lead.

Sedgley continued to plug away and seven minutes later found themselves back on equal terms. After switching direction a second time Andy Craig and Jaco ‘Chopper’ Swart combined to create space for hooker Jonny Roddam, and the slip-pass gave him the chink of light he needed as he managed to out-pace his marker over 20 metres to the home posts. Jones’ conversion made it 10-10.

However, within five minutes Welsh went back in front. Again possession won at a lineout was used well, with the point of attack changed three times before the overlap on the left was created and this time the other winger, James Wellwood, went over by the other corner flag. Ulph again supplied the extras to put his side into a 17-10 lead at half-time.

The Tigers appeared to emerge for the second half full of determination and had restored parity once more within four minutes of the restart. Lineout ball was won 10 metres from the Welsh line and good angles were run by Jamie Albinson and Matt Riley to create space for winger Chris Hall to exploit and he burst onto a pass before racing unopposed to the posts. With Jones adding the extras the Tigers were back on level terms once more.

But from that point it became apparent that the home side wanted it more. With Gerallt Evans yellow-carded Welsh took full advantage and a second Ulph penalty restored the Exiles’ lead. It was followed on 57 minutes by a well weighted cross-field kick that was pounced on by Wellwood at the corner flag to claim his second try of the afternoon to make it 25-17.

With 10 minutes to go and with the Tigers chasing a game they should have taken by the scruff of the neck, an ambitious miss-pass from Riley was gobbled up by Strong on the intercept and he trotted in unopposed to the Sedgley posts to give Ulph’s replacement Tom Marks the easiest of conversions, as Welsh stretched their lead to 32-17, having added the four-try bonus point in the process.

For the remaining 10 minutes Sedgley enjoyed possession and territorial advantage but despite huge amounts of huff and puff they could not convert possession into points, with the lack of composure that had haunted them in the first half of the season rearing its ugly head yet again as final passes were either knocked on or flung out in the general direction of the touch judges. 

LONDON WELSH: Ulph (61 Pugh), Strong, Taylor, Cadwallader, Wellwood, Marks, Chilten (75 Shaw), Williams (75 Marsters), Ritchie (73 Campbell), Ward, Quigley, Burke (73 Griffith), Robson, Etheredge (73 Anayi), Cox. Replacements not used: Hopkins. Tries: Strong (25, 70) and Wellwood (36, 57). Conversions: Ulph 2, Marks 1. Penalties: Ulph 2. Yellow card: Griffith (80). 

SEDGLEY PARK: Riley, Hall, Briers, Voortman, Craig, Jones (73 Duffy), Albinson J (62 Leck), Evans (58 Gazzola), Roddam (73 Keys), Du Plessis (69 Roberts), Fourie, Norris, Swart (52 Gazzola – sin bin; 62 Jope), Newton (73 Livesey), Skurr. Tries: Roddam (32) and Hall (44). Conversions: Jones 2. Penalties: Jones 1. Yellow card: Evans (49)