Blaydon 24 Sedgley Park 52

 
Both sides had plenty to play for, albeit at opposite ends of the table, and whilst Blaydon gave it their best shot and gained a deserved try bonus point it was the visitors who controlled affairs for much of the game to run out comfortable winners by 8 tries to 4.
Harry Borthwick got Blaydon on the front foot in the 4th minute, his storming run into the 22 producing a try for full-back Nathan Bailey, but the lead was to be short lived.
The Tigers hit back 3 minutes later when, for what was to be the first of many a move, their slick handling found a gap and Callum McShane was left with a simple run-in.
And then came a blitz from the visitors in which they simply seemed unstoppable, running in 3 tries in 4 minutes through Hallam Chapman, Kieran Allen and Andrew Riley, and all scored with the utmost of ease.
To their credit Blaydon heads stayed up and on 31 minutes a rolling maul was heading for the line when Park front rower Ben Black pulled it down for which he received a yellow card. The penalty went back to touch and this time Matt Thompson was driven over, Joe Whyman converting.
With half-time beckoning Bailey put up a high ball to the far corner and after the forwards had taken it on leading scorer Jack Appleton crossed near the flag, Whyman again on target to make it 19-28 at the break.
A deficit reduced to just 9 points had kept Blaydon in the game but it didn’t take long for the visitors to regain their composure and 4 minutes into the second period Riley was over for his second, and then the hat-trick on 49 minutes.
Black crossed for try No7 from a McShane line-out break and near the end replacement Matt Gallagher completed the Sedgley scoring to keep them well in contention for promotion.
For Blaydon it was a disappointing outcome in what was their last game to be played on grass at Crow Trees before the diggers move in to replace it with an artificial surface but centre Dan Marshall had the honour of scoring their final try on turf when he crossed for the bonus point score in the 61st minute.

John Brennan