From the first whistle the Tigers exploded into action and laid down several markers, particularly in the contact area.

Indeed, such was the ferocity and aggression shown in the tackle that Moseley, despite being handed a man advantage as early as the second minute, were not allowed to do anything with it as big hit followed big hit.

Against 14 men the ‘Red and Blacks’ switched their point of attack from flank to flank in order to create a gap to exploit. But despite the promptings of skipper Neil Mason they simply could not stretch the Sedgley defence enough to make the powerplay count.

The Tigers then had a chance to take the lead on five minutes but Phil Jones’ 40-metre penalty kick went wide. He made up for it on 13 minutes when good ball retention drew Moseley into conceding a penalty and he struck from 36 metres.

With the sin-binned Juan Crous back on Sedgley began to force Moseley onto the back foot and unable to make headway with the ball in hand they were forced to kick.

On 20 minutes Sedgley won lineout ball just inside the Moseley half and used possession well, firing it along the backline to Luther Burrell who stepped his way through the Moseley line before slipping an inside pass to Matt Riley in close support and he cantered to the posts to give Jones the easiest of conversions and Sedgley led to 10-0.

In reply Moseley’s lateral game plan continued to prove ineffective, with the only attack of note coming from a storming Charlie Sharples run down the right touchline, but he was bundled into touch five metres short of the Sedgley try-line.

With the ball in hand the Tigers drove forward at every opportunity and one barnstorming run from Glen Townson was only ended when a Moseley defender intercepted his pass.

Following a second successful Jones’ penalty on the half-hour the visitors renewed their attacking efforts but continued to be met by an uncompromising Sedgley defensive effort, forcing them into error after error.

With the wind behind them in the second half Moseley looked more interested but not before Jones’ boot two minutes after the restart made it 16-0.

Moseley introduced a number of attacking replacements but they were soon worked out and closed down. Unable to turn possession into tries Greg MacDonald kicked a 30-metre penalty on 45 minutes to finally get his side on the scoreboard.

He was on target a second time but then missed another and the longer the game went on the more the Tigers looked likely to score and it was only a desperate defensive effort that kept them out.

Four minutes from time Jones had a further penalty shot at goal but was off-target. However, by then the result was in the bag and the Tigers’ nine-game losing streak was finally brought to an end. Now to win the final two games and to staying up!

SEDGLEY PARK: Riley, DeVenter, Briers, Burrell, Hall (Craig 62), Jones, Leck, Halsall (Gazzola 67), Roddam (Roberts 68), Du Plessis, Fourie (Norris 70), Townson, Crous, Newton, Skurr.
Replacements not used: Birchall, Ponton and Albinson.
Try: Riley
Conversion: Jones.
Penalties: Jones 3.
Yellow card: Crous

MOSELEY: Binns, Sharples, Adams, Cox (James 49), Bressington (Norton 45), MacDonald (Lewis 70), Taylor, Williams (Buxton 74), McMillan (Caves 5), Forster, Atkinson, Stott (Arnold 52), Mason, Bignell, Rodwell (Evans 52).
Penalties: MacDonald 2.