Results don’t tell the whole story

21

Birmingham
Moseley

V

44

Sedgley
Park

By Jon Meadows

The first ten minutes were a fairly scrappy affair, played mainly in the Moseley half, with no real opportunities presenting themselves. Moseley sent a clearance into the Sedgley half, but it was gathered cleanly and a break through the advancing Moseley line saw the visitors up to the home 22. With numerical advantage and a scrambling defence, Jamie Harrison opened the scoring for Sedgley under the posts, Warren Seals converting.

The restart went just over the 10 metres which Sedgley took cleanly, again breaking through and with Moseley infringing a simple penalty on the 22 from in front added to Seals tally.

With the sun beating down and record temperatures not far away the referee called for a drinks break. Following the resumption Moseley were having better possession and territory and were unfortunate when Andrew Riley, the Sedgley full back, took his chance to intercept a pass to the wing and ran three quarters the length of the pitch to score. Had the pass gone to hand it was likely that Mose would have run in to the corner – such fine margins!

The home team finished the half on the front foot and after a series of close quarter infringements by the visitors on their 5 metres saw William Safe score, Tighe Maxwell – Whiteley converting

Half Time – 7 – 17

The second half began with another period of broken play with Moseley continuing to spill the ball, inviting the visitors to apply pressure and it was not long before Seals added to his tally with a simple penalty early in the second period. Sedgley continued to infringe, and Moseley eventually took advantage, Joe Foreman breaking through, Maxwell – Whiteley once more successful.

More foul play followed and Sedgley were to be down to 14 with Jamie Harrison seeing yellow. With Moseley within 6 points of their visitors hopes were high that the home team could make use of their numerical advantage, but the visitors were to make the most of the following period, Matthew Riley breaking through to put down in the left hand corner, Seals once again adding the extras.

The restart once again went to the 10 metres, Sedgley gathering cleanly and breaking forward and were awarded a penalty halfway inside the Moseley half, Seals once more successful, this time from medium range.

The restart saw a short period of ‘kick tennis’ before the ball was passed to Freddie Painter on the left who broke up to the opposition 22. Another Sedgley infringement allowed for a tap and go and with a pass to the right, Sam Pointon was to score another converted try.

With 5 minutes left on the clock the visitors piled on the pressure. Following a penalty they had a 5 metre line out, caught and drove. Sam McNulty was shown yellow for foul play and a penalty try awarded.

The misery was not to end there, Sedgley came forward from the restart only for Maxwell-Whiteley to be shown yellow for foul play. With Moseley down to 13 and on the back foot Daniel Rylance crossed, for Seals to convert with the last kick of the game.

For those who were not there a 21 – 44 scoreline might seem like a drubbing, but this casual observer would disagree. 14 points in the last 4 minutes and an earlier breakaway try gifted the visitors an exaggerated scoreline. If Moseley were better able to ‘take care of the ball’ then today’s result may have been different

Attendance 620