FULL-time Leeds were rocked by Sedgley's gritty, determined first-half performance but went on to claim a bonus point victory.

However, the Tigers can take heart from a much improved display that will hopefully lead to a win sooner rather than later and a climb up the table.

LEEDS TYKES              35

SEDGLEY PARK           20 

National League Division One  

ACCORDING to Tykes’ coach Stuart Lancaster, the Tigers are: “not a bottom two team.”

However, after watching his side eventually overcome a stubborn, workmanlike Park outfit and grab the bonus point deep into time-added-on, he added: “But they have to discover some self-belief.

“I have a lot of respect for what they have achieved in recent seasons and I thought Jimmy Ponton was fantastic upon his return to Headingley. When they got into us they were difficult to shake off and they challenged us all over the field,” he added.

“They are certainly not the worst team we have faced so far, they just have to work on their confidence. If they can get that part of their game sorted they shouldn’t have any problems.”

Indeed, it was a confident start to the game that saw the visitors to the Headingley Carnegie Stadium take a 0-10 lead inside the first quarter.

A straight-forward Phil Jones three-pointer from 10 metres on 13 minutes followed an expansive move that had seen Adam Newton go close on the right before the ball was swung back along the midfield to Chris Hall on the left wing who dropped the ball as he went to touch down by the left–hand corner flag.

Four minutes later Jones missed a second shot at goal from wide out left on the Tykes 22, but on 19 minutes Hall made up for his earlier misdemeanor when he did manage to ground the ball.Scrum-ball won on the Tykes’ 10-metre line allowed the Tigers to pick-and-drive before the ball was swung left to Hall, who showed a clean pair of heels to go over in the left-hand corner at the second time of asking to score against one of his former clubs. Jones supplied the conversion and the Tigers led 0-10.

Unfortunately within four minutes the Tykes had pulled seven points back, although it appeared only the officials missed the forward pass in the build-up.

A strong run down the middle following a lineout take saw Rhys Oakley manage to slip the ball out of the tackle to the onrushing Jonny Hepworth for the stand-off-turned-centre to crash over between the sticks to give Leigh Hinton the easiest of conversions to make it 7-10.

On 26 minutes former Tiger Richard Welding was yellow-carded for killing the ball at the ruck and the Tigers made the most of the man-advantage. From the penalty Jones kicked for field position and call-ball at the resulting lineout saw the Tigers’ forwards drive towards the line, with Jon Skurr crashing over for the five-pointer, with Jones’ second successive conversion stretching the Tigers’ lead to 7-17.

However, a second Hinton penalty followed by a try for second-row Kearnan Myall – while both sides were down to 14 men after Andy Craig had been sin-binned for handling on the ground – and a Hinton conversion ensured it was all-square at 17-17 by the time the turnaround arrived.

Two further Leeds’ tries in the second-half – the first from former Tiger Welding on 52 minutes, the second, an interception try five minutes into time-added-on at the end of the game from loan signing Ian Humphries – along with two penalties and a conversion from Hinton condemned the Tigers to a sixth-straight defeat.

But there were signs in this game that Sedgley are gaining in confidence and that sooner rather than later that elusive first win will arrive and spark them into life.

Chris Hall in his first game of the season looked strong and full of running, while Jason Duffy finally made his debut and was solid in midfield. Upfront the addition of Sale Sharks’ duo Martin Halsall (prop) and Ben Lloyd (lock) added some bulk and power especially in the scrum and mauls.

Sedgley deserved to emerge from this game with points and if they can build on this performance who is to say this Saturday’s visit of the Cornish Pirates cannot serve up a repeat of last season’s victory and finally get the Tigers’ season up and running? 

LEEDS: Hinton, Welding, Hepworth, A. Rock, T. Rock, Vasey (Humphreys, 40), Raulini, Cusack, Rawlinson (Nilsen, 22), Noon (McGee, 53), Bouza, Myall, Oakley, Schusterman (Worrall, 73), Bryan (Dunbar, 40). Replacements not used: Stitcher, Edwards.T: Hepworth (21), Kearnan (38), Welding (52), Humphreys (85).C: Hinton (3)P: Hinton (3)Yellow card: Welding (26) 

SEDGLEY: De Jager (Jope, 66), Hall, Craig, Duffy (Voortman, 53), Briers, P. Jones, J. Albinson, Evans (Gazzola, 53), Roddam (M. Jones, 73), Halsall (Du Plessis, 76) Swart, Lloyd (Norris, 66), Newton, Ponton, Skurr.Replacement not used: Leck.T: Hall (19), Skurr (26).C: P. Jones (2).P: P. Jones (2).Yellow card: Craig (33).