Moseley blow away Sedgley’s early advances

28

Birmingham
Moseley

V

26

Sedgley
Park

by Jon Meadows
Images: Dan Bellenger Photography

With the strong breeze behind them, Sedgley kicked off down the slope. An early penalty to Moseley was kicked to touch but, in the wind, failed to find its target. Sedgley gathered and worked the ball infield, Harry Thompson breaking through the line before passing to Oliver Glasse, who fed Rhys Henderson for the score in the right hand corner.

The home team tried to respond but a combination of handling errors at crucial moments and some indiscipline blunted their threat, and so it was that Glasse would extend the lead with a simple 3 points from in front. A period of broken play followed, both sides guilty of not looking after the ball. After a long kick to touch, the visitors had a 5 metres attacking lineout. The catch and drive was fairly simple, Harry Thompson touching down with Glasse adding the extras.

Moseley continued to press but could not rid themselves of their earlier simple errors. Sedgley had a break down their right wing and, with a somewhat fortuitous cross field kick, the ball came to John Blanchard for an easy score. Glasse’s attempt from the tee, perhaps caught by the wind, drifted to the right of the posts.

From the restart, the visitors caught the ball and kicked to touch, giving Moseley a lineout on the halfway inside their opponents’ half. Successfully gathered, the ball was worked towards the centre, before coming back to the wing and Tuoyo Egodo breaking through, only to fall into a high tackle, William Bradley seeing a yellow card for the visitors. Moseley’s response was almost immediate, but the resultant lineout catch and drive ended with a goal line drop out. Kicked to the ten metre line, the ball was returned with interest, Aquile Smith breaking through before passing to Tuoyo Egodo to score, Jack Jolly adding a fairly easy conversion.

Following the restart, Sedgley had the ball and kicked a grubber to the home 22. Aquile Smith gathered the bobbling ball but was quickly snagged by the onrushing visitors. A penalty ensued, Glasse again converting a fairly simple kick for the last score of the first half, 23-7 in the visitors’ favour.

With the wind now at their backs, the home team started the second half on the front foot, Santiago Edwards finishing a 5 metre catch and drive, Jolly again successful.

Moseley were beginning to have the lion’s share of territory and Sedgley were putting in an extended defensive set. The ball was being worked across the 5 metres channel until coming to Thomas Taylor, who punched a hole through the defensive line, Jolly chalking up another hat trick.

The game began to ebb and flow, Glasse added another penalty from in front, taking the lead to 5 points. With 12 minutes to go, Moseley were to be a man down, Oliver Allsopp seeing red for a head on head contact. This only served to spur the home team on, Ollie Stedman finishing another close quarter encounter, Taylor making no mistake from the tee.

In what little time remained, the visitors came on strongly, but a resolute defence held on to claim the bonus point victory.

Head Coach Pete Glackin commented afterwards that it was a typical game of two halves, with the wind playing a big part. “Fair play to Sedgley who put us under a lot of pressure.” He said that they had spoken at half time about retaining possession for longer periods and building pressure off the back of that. He paid credit to the team’s problem solving and was really pleased to have got it over the line.