SEDGLEY PARK 37
EALING  14

EDF Energy National Trophy Round 4

STUNG by the gung-ho approach of the abrasive visitors from the off, the Tigers struggled in the first half and had just two Phil Jones penalties to show for their efforts.

However, with the introduction of key first choice personnel in the second half, they took control and ran in five tries to one, ending proceedings in a comfortable manner.

At times during the opening 40 minutes in was unclear whether the Tigers were trying too hard to force the play or simply were not bothered at all, such were the number of unforced errors they made, although nothing should be taken away from a fully committed Ealing side.

Having already claimed one North West scalp in the form of National Division Two side Waterloo in the previous round, the Londoners stated their intention of adding another from the kick-off, with the scrums in particular hotly contested.

On six minutes visiting fly-half Ben Ward sought to capitalise on a prolonged phase of possession but his drop goal attempt went wide. In opposition the Tigers were also retaining the ball well, that is until they dropped it, knocked it on or missed with a touch-finding kick.

On 13 minutes an Ealing misdemeanour presented Tigers’ fly-half Phil Jones a 38-metre penalty kick, but his attempt was off-target.

Ealing were finding former Quins’ winger Kiba Richards out on the right touchline with increasing regularity where he was proving tough to stop.

After threatening a number of times it was therefore no surprise when he gave his side the lead on 26 minutes, using his pace to win the race to the Tigers’ right-hand corner flag after Ward had kicked diagonally. Ward then added the extras to put Ealing in a deserved 0-7 lead.

As the Tigers sought to get their attacking game in gear, Jones kept them in touch with two successful penalties from Ealing’s 22 on 31 and 38 minutes to ensure the gap at half-time was just the one point.

Within a minute of the restart they then took the lead. Ward returned the Tigers’ kick-off and gave them the throw-in at a lineout on Ealing’s’ 22.

Call-ball won, Matt Riley drove infield from where skipper Jimmy Ponton switched the direction of play back out towards the left and winger Jan Van DeVenter. As he raced to the line he fed the ball back inside to hooker Gareth Roberts in close support and he drove over from 10 metres. Jones’ conversion attempt hit an upright but the Tigers led for the first time, 11-7.

With leading try scorer Jon Skurr introduced, the Tigers had a ball carrier to give them some go-forward and they began to push the ‘Green and Whites’ onto the back foot.

Yet for a while, despite creating attacking platforms, the Tigers were still guilty of handing Ealing turnovers which threatened to give the visitors a lifeline.

On 57 minutes Chris Hall, back from an injury layoff, fielded a high ball and drove downfield where he fed Jones, who sidestepped through the Ealing defence and looked like going all the way to the visitors’ posts, only to be tackled a metre short. Fortunately Jamie Albinson was in close support and he took the flip pass to touch down between the Ealing posts to give Jones the easiest of conversions and he extended the Tigers’ lead to 18-7.

However, the Londoners were not finished and a sweeping move from right to left sent winger Kene Ejikeme on his way to the corner flag. Ward added the extras to cut the deficit to four points.

With the first choice front row now dominating both the tight and loose, the Tigers’ pack began to dictate and following a successful lineout take 25 metres out, Freeman Payne fed Skurr who set up a rolling maul which was driven all the way to the try line, where Director of Rugby Tim Fourie got the all-important touchdown, improved by Jones to stretch the Tigers’ lead to 25-14.

Straight from the restart Hall ran the ball back down the right-hand touchline in a superb handling move involving Fourie, Albinson, Ponton and Skurr, only for a knock-on to once more scupper another scoring opportunity.

Fortunately, seconds later from a five-metre scrum, Albinson fed Hall and he scooted over in the same corner from close range to make it 30-14.

The Tigers’ superiority up front forced Ealing into conceding more and more penalties. When a scrum was elected from one of these Jones darted for the Ealing posts but turned and slipped a delightful inside pass on the angle to the onrushing Chris Briers, who raced through untouched to claim the Tigers’ fifth and final try in the final minute.

Jones’ third conversion rounded off a much better second half display from the Tigers and ensured they go into the hat for the draw for the fifth round.

SEDGLEY PARK: Nutt, Hall, Briers, Riley (Payne 60), Van DeVenter, Jones, J. Albinson, Greenhalgh (Gazzola 41), Roberts (Roddam 50), A. Livesey (Du Plessis 50), Fourie, Norris, Newton, Ponton, D. Livesey (Skurr 41).
Replacements not used: Crous and Craig.
Tries: Roberts (41), J. Albinson (55), Fourie (67), Hall (72) and Briers (78).
Conversions: Jones 3.
Penalties: Jones 2.

EAILING: Gill, Richards, Hodgkinson, Edwards, Ejikeme (Young 78), Ward, Parker, Neville, Clare (Kuwana 54), Smith (Okoye 72), Dunne (Cudmore 57), Palmer (Price 72), Essien (Furlong 79), King, Carr (Du Rand 72).
Tries: Richards (25) and Ejikeme (60).
Conversions: Ward 2.