This was partly because Sedgley, playing without a recognised hooker, only won one of their first five line outs and so couldn’t get any continuity in their play. They were forced to live off scraps, but they showed what a fine team they are by defending heroically to keep their line intact and by making optimum use of the scraps to run in three first half tries.

The first came after 10 minutes and was the result of good handling and support play among the forwards. Second rower Andrew Clegg made the initial break from the half way line; his second row colleague Dean Williams made more yardage and flanker Chris Leader finished off the move. With the conversion failing, Sedgley led 5-0.

However from the restart a wayward pass almost gifted Preston a try. The ball bounced up perfectly into the hands of the Preston left winger who sped off towards the Sedgley try line and only a tremendous covering tackle by scrum-half Danny Harrison saved the day for Sedgley. All credit must go to the referee, who was on the spot to rule that the winger had been tackled into touch in the act of scoring.

For the next 20 minutes it was all Preston. Time and time again they pounded the Sedgley try line, but to no avail as resolute defence kept Preston at bay.

With stand-in hooker Andrew Duckworth now getting the hang of his new role, Sedgley started to win more line out ball and immediately cut loose.

In the space of three minutes they scored two fine tries. Firstly, following a quickly taken tap penalty and swift ball from the ensuing ruck, full back Matt Riley scythed through the Preston defence to score.

Then Sedgley won a line-out, thanks to a good catch and drive by prop Leyton Taylor. The ball was rapidly switched to the opposite flank where flanker Luke Woolley beat two men before passing to winger Phil Largan who bounced and hammered his way through several desperate tackles to score in the corner. Dominic Kohler showed great skill in the windy conditions to convert both tries and extend Sedgley’s lead to 19-0.

Back came Preston. Their three-quarters worked a fine opening and only a terrific ankle tap on their flying centre by the covering Harrison prevented Preston from scoring. A prolonged 50 minutes first half came to an end with Sedgley leading 19-0, despite having to defend for most of it.

The second half opened with another quick brace of tries for Sedgley in the first five minutes. Firstly, Williams stole a Preston line out on the half way line and sped off to put Sedgley in a good attacking position in the Preston 22, which Kohler didn’t waste as he cut through the Preston defence to score.

Then straight from the restart, Riley set off from his own 22 and sliced through the on-rushing Preston team; he linked up with Leader who scorched in to score a terrific try. With Kohler converting the second try, Sedgley led 31-0.

If Sedgley had visions of a runaway win that soon dissipated when they started to concede too many penalties and number 8 Rob Leigh, who had had a sterling game, limped off injured. Once again Preston battered the Sedgley line and this time, despite determined resistance, Sedgley’s defensive wall cracked. The Preston forwards combined well to score a good unconverted try to make the score 31-5.

Sedgley didn’t heed the warning and conceded a spate of seven penalties in the next 10 minutes. Preston used them and the strong wind to full advantage to repeatedly return Sedgley to their own 22 and put them under severe pressure. Once again Preston’s more experienced pack surged forward to score a converted try to reduce Sedgley’s lead to 31-12.

When the going gets tough the tough get going, and Sedgley responded in their own expansive style.

First Kohler made a telling break from his own 22 to relieve the pressure. Then centre Tom Albinson picked up a missed Preston penalty kick to touch and powered his way through several tackles into the Preston half before offloading the ball to Riley. The big full back linked up with winger Henry Monsell, who found Taylor in support and the prop finished off the move to record the best try of the game. Kohler converted to make the score 36-12.

However Preston deservedly scored the final try in the closing minutes. Their nippy half back took advantage of his forwards winning a scrum against the head to shoot through a gap in Sedgley’s defence to score. The conversion made the final result 36-19 in a pulsating match, with credit going to both teams for an entertaining game in the windy conditions.

This was a hard fought win by a young Sedgley team that finished with three Colts in the pack, against a determined and resourceful Preston outfit.
It maintained their lead at the top of the league table and extended their unbeaten run to 20 matches.

● Lancashire travel to face Northumberland at Morpeth on Sunday needing a win to be in position to profit should Cheshire upset leaders Yorkshire in the RU Under 20s Championship qualifying group. Tigers’ prop Danny Birchall – on loan from Sale Sharks – is in the starting 15, while second team fly-half Dom Kohler is on the replacements’ bench.