Albion took the lead on four minutes thanks to a straightforward Brad Davies’ penalty kick from the Tigers’ 22 and straight onto the posts, although it was in the face of a gale force wind.

Indeed, having won the toss and electing to play with the elements, the Tigers went onto rule the roost in the first half.

Despite harnessing the wind with his touch finding kicks, Phil Jones was unable to tame it when it came to a penalty kick on eight minutes.

For their part Albion, unable to kick to relieve pressure, had to run the ball at every opportunity but were met by a brutal defensive effort from the Tigers who bludgeoned the Albion ball carriers backwards with a determined ferocity.

The flat defensive line was marshalled well, with every player committing their bodies to the contact with blatant disregard for how they would emerge from it.

Having kept the home side out in the opening quarter the Tigers then began to go on the hunt for points themselves and they duly arrived on 21 minutes.

Winning call-ball at a lineout on the Plymouth 10-metre line, the forwards rumbled downfield before the ball was spun first this way then that along the backline until prop, Petrus Du Plessis, burst through three tackles to offload to lock Glen Townson, and the player on load from Sale Sharks was driven over the Albion line by his fellow forwards for his first try in Sedgley colours. Jones supplied the extras and the Tigers led 3-7.

A rare attack down the left-hand channel from Albion saw Ed Lewsey threaten but he was driven into touch a metre short of the Tigers’ line.

On the half-hour mark Albion’s other winger, Frenchman Nic Sestaret, was adjudged to have made a dangerous tackle and was yellow-carded, with the Tigers making the most of the man advantage.

From a driving maul 30 metres out the ball was spun along the backline courtesy of crisp, accurate passing to set up Briers for dive over in the right-hand corner to claim the Tigers’ second try, extending their lead to 3-12.

Still with a man extra, bang on half-time turnover ball deep in Albion’s 22 gave Tigers’ centre Luther Burrell the simplest of runs to the home posts to claim his first try for the ‘claret and golds’ with Jones’ conversion extending the Tigers’ lead 16 points.

However, Plymouth had the final say of the half when Davies’ 45-metre penalty kick five minutes into time-added-on made the score at the break 6-19.

Emerging for the second half with the wind at theirs backs seemed to give Albion a collective pick-me-up, which in the end proved decisive.

Eight minutes in and after a sustained period of Tigers dominance, Albion pounced on a turnover and the pressure they exerted resulted in a penalty. With possession won from the lineout following the kick, Albion rolled the maul towards the Tigers’ line, where centre Keni Fisilau joined the action and was propelled over to touch down. Davies’ conversion then took the home side to within six points of the visitors.

The Tigers continued to appreciate possession and tackle uncompromisingly in defence as Albion tried to find another route through.

That was achieved on 64 minutes when Davies’ show-and-go 25 metres out bought him enough space to slip through and run over by the posts, giving himself the easiest of conversions to put his side in front by a point.

The Tigers then had two clearance kicks charged down by the restored Sestaret and from the second the lineout throw was too long and was snatched up by Plymouth replacement Mike Denbee, who showed power and determination to drive over for Albion’s third try.

In the final minutes of normal time and eight minutes of time-added-on both sides tried everything they could to score the decisive fourth try – Plymouth to secure not only the win but also bonus point; Sedgley to give them a chance of nicking the win, plus the bonus point.

Plymouth went closest when only a knock-on prevented them from scoring, but in the end they did just enough to claim victory and break Sedgley hearts in the process.

But for a couple of lapses in concentration the Tigers could have claimed their first ever win over the Devon side; instead they will have to make do with a losing bonus point and the knowledge that every Albion player was left in no doubt they had been in a game.

PLYMOUTH ALBION:
Saumi, Lewsey, Cruickshanks, Fisilau, Sestaret, Davies, Cave (50 Ritchie), Davis (50 Mathias), Owen, Zimmerman, Stewart, Hayes, Marriott, Stroud (50 Denbee), Bornman.
Replacements not used: Laidlaw, Kettle, Oxley and Evans.
Tries: Fisilau, Davies and Denbee.
Conversions: Davies 2.
Penalties: Davies 2.
Yellow cards: Sestaret

SEDGLEY TIGERS:
Hall, Van Deventer, Craig, Burrell (75 Riley), Briers, Jones, J. Albinson (78 Leck), Halsall (Birchall 78), Roddam (79 Roberts), Du Plessis, Fourie, Townson (62 Norris), Newton, Ponton (56 Crous), Skurr.
Replacements not used: A. Livesey.
Tries: Townson, Briers and Burrell
Conversions: Jones 2.