They had never led at any stage of the game and were twice behind. But they were resilient, took almost all their chances and even managed to score two tries when they had a player in the bin. They were tactically better and their pack had a decisive edge in the scrums.

Hopefully Sedgley will learn that when you are in front in a tight game against a determined team you need to play smarter rugby and close the game down.

On the day their handling let them down at crucial times and their kicking was sometimes wayward; they simply couldn’t execute their champagne style of rugby and ultimately paid the penalty.

It all started well for well on five minutes full back Phil Largan made a decisive break from his own 22. With quick ruck ball the momentum was maintained and centre Tom Albinson powered his way through to race 50 metres to the try line. Fly-half Dom Kohler converted and Sedgley led 0-7.

Manchester then lost possession on the half-way line. Dave Livesey kicked the loose ball on and set off in chase. When the Manchester defender fumbled the ball on the try line, the flanker pounced to score an unconverted try and Sedgley led 0-12.

Sedgley enjoyed a further period of pressure on the Manchester try line, their driving maul was working well and when it was twice stopped illegally, Manchester’s number 5 was sin binned. However the depleted Manchester pack resolutely defended the subsequent driving maul and won a penalty to relieve the siege.

Further penalties took Manchester into the Sedgley 22 and from a lineout excellent handling and running created the opening out wide on the left for Manchester to score a splendid unconverted try and make the score 5-12.

Immediately from the restart an up-and-under by Manchester centre Adam Knight was re-gathered by his teammates and they repeated their crisp passing and running to score again down the left. Adam Knight kicked a fine conversion to level the score 12-12.

In the final five minutes of the half, Manchester won three consecutive scrums against the head as the forward battle started to swing decisively in Manchester’s favour.

Sedgley started the second-half well. However, they twice knocked on in the opening 10 minutes after they had created good positions in the Manchester 22. Then their forwards got their driving maul going again to pressurise the Manchester line. But when the maul went to ground, the Sedgley hooker was despatched to the sin bin for inappropriate use of the boot.

During the next 10 minutes, despite being a man short, Sedgley continued to create openings, with Albinson in the vanguard. But again faulty handling let them down.

From one knock-on, the Manchester backs quickly counter-attacked from near their own try line and took play well into the Sedgley 22. A try looked certain, only for Manchester to knock-on.

Back came Sedgley. Largan made the telling break with play switched to the opposite flank where winger Henry Monsell handed-off a defender to score an unconverted try in the corner. With 10 minutes left Sedgley led 12-17.

But Manchester refused to accept defeat. They stuck to their gameplan and twice executed perfect kick-and-chase moves into the Sedgley 22.

There they wrested the initiative away from Sedgley. Their forwards got their driving maul working to great effect and after four penalties in quick succession Sedgley had a second player sin-binned.

They then conceded a five-metre scrum and Manchester picked up from its base to score the decisive try. With the score level at 17-17, Adam Knight kicked the winning conversion to end a game that had ebbed and flowed.

Once again a resolute and determined Manchester showed they had the ability and tactical experience to come back and win a tight game in the closing moments.