But with bottom club Launceston (who have a game in hand on the other two) securing a home five-point win over Newbury, they leapfrogged Bees and are now just five points shy of the Tigers, who remain third from bottom.

That was about the only positive the Park Lane outfit took from this game, as they failed to replicate the spirit shown the previous week until it was too late, the Exiles showing them how to make the most of limited possession.

The Tigers enjoyed the bulk of the ball in both halves but struggled to do the obvious with it. Welsh, on the other hand, used the ball they won well and dominated the close exchanges, particularly around the tackle and ruck areas with their hard-nosed, bullying approach.

The fact a number of Tigers were either unable or disinclined to confront that approach and ‘front-up’ decided the contest in what were once against wild and woolly conditions, with a persistent, swirling wind and driving rain that at times turned to sleet.

Denied the services of skipper Jimmy Ponton (knee injury) and explosive centre Luther Burrell (recalled by parent club Leeds Carnegie for his Guinness Premiership debut down at Saracens) the Tigers nevertheless looked to build on the determined show they put on down at Plymouth and took a five minute lead thanks to Phil Jones’ successful 47-metre penalty kick.

Three minutes later the visitors were in front. From a lineout take the ball was spun along the backline left to right, with centre Alex Goode making the important line break before offloading to wing Paul Sampson who went over by the corner flag.

The Tigers switched direction constantly in attack with half-backs Jamie Albinson and Phil Jones leading the charge. But there was no end product despite copious amounts of possession and time in the opposition 22.

Unable to break through Phil Jones kicked the next penalty on 14 minutes to push the Tigers back into the lead at 6-5.

The Exiles replied by forcing the Tigers onto the back foot and Matt Jones charged down Phil Jones’ attempted goal line clearance kick with flanker Jonathan Mills the first to react, pouncing on the loose ball to touch down. Matt Jones added the extras and Welsh were back in front, 6-12.

Skurr, Du Plessis, Newton and Fourie took the ball into contact time and time again, but their team-mates appeared unable to make the most of the metres gained.

The Exiles’ Jones then missed with a 20-metre penalty kick but further pressure was rewarded with a penalty and from the resulting lineout ball was won and a few phases later the Exiles’ Fiji international lock, Ratu Lewaravu, was driven over close to the Sedgley posts and Jones added the extras to stretch the score to 6-19.

Minutes before the interval the Tigers were awarded a lineout 10 metres from the Exiles’ line and Ed Norris was cynically taken out in mid-air as he claimed the ball.

Norris was shown a straight red-card for doing exactly the same thing in a game at Moseley last season, yet the Exile responsible was spared a card, instead received a talking too from referee Dean Richards.

Yet right on half-time he yellow-carded Tigers’ Jon Skurr for slowing play down and Welsh went in for the break in front to emerge with the man advantage for the opening 10 minutes of the second half.

Clearly the more lively, they increased their lead within four minutes of the restart. A knock-on gave them the put-in at a scrum 18 metres out and with possession won they moved the ball along the backs for Sampson to go over for his second touchdown of the afternoon and Welsh led 6-24.

The introduction of Martin Halsall, Juan Crous, Gareth Roberts and Matt Riley breathed some much needed fire in the Tigers’ bellies as they began to retain possession and work their way downfield.

With Skurr back on the Tigers began to build up momentum further and they finally turned possession into points when winger Jan Van DeVenter burst onto a pass out on the left and brushed off two tackles to go over by the posts. Phil Jones’ conversion closing the Exiles’ lead to 11 points.

Despite the wild weather Tigers continued to retain the ball and use it positively, forcing Welsh into committing penalty after penalty, yet Mr Richards appeared reluctant to produce his yellow card again.

On 62 minutes and from yet another penalty awarded to them, the kick and resulting lineout saw Sedgley perform a text-book catch and drive, with Skurr grounding the ball to make it 18-24.

The Tigers continued to batter away at the Exiles’ defence and on 73 minutes Mr Richards finally brandished his yellow to Exiles’ Matt Jones and the Tigers had the extra man.

A minute before the final whistle it became a two-man advantage after Exiles’ fullback Lee best was sent off punching opposite number Chris Hall and sparking a 22-man touchline free-for-all.

But try as they might the Tigers could not force the play and in the end had to make do with just another losing bonus point.

Whether it will be enough will become known in the next month, as the season races to a climax which will see two from Sedgley, Launceston and Pertemps Bees relegated to National Division Two.

SEDGLEY TIGERS:
Hall, Van DeVenter, Craig, Payne (Riley 44), Briers, P.Jones, J.Albinson,
Gazzola (Halsall 40), Roddam (Roberts 44), Du Plessis, Norris (Crous 40), Townson, Fourie, Newton, Skurr.
Replacements not used: Birchall, D.Livesey and Leck.
Tries: Van DeVenter and Skurr.
Conversions: P.Jones 1.
Penalties: P.Jones 2.
Yellow card: Skurr (40).

LONDON WELSH:
Best (Taylor 50 – blood), Sampson, Goode, Mackey, Tagicakibau (Taylor 78), M.Jones, Chilten (Wilson 54), Williams, Vuli, Gay (Beech 58 – reversed 68, blood), Quigley, Lewaravu, Mills, Lee, Jenkins (Etheredge 62).
Replacements not used: Kwaskicki, Collier and Jewell.
Tries: Sampson 2, Mills and Lewaravu.
Conversions: M.Jones 2.
Yellow card: M.Jones (72).
Red card: Best (79)