Sedgley Park v Ealing - Report

Last weekend I was at Park Lane, Whitefield to see Sedgley Park take on Ealing Trailfinders in National League One. Ealing were unbeaten going into the match, while Sedg had been inconsistent, so it all pointed to an away victory, and that was how it turned out. Limited to 220 words for the report, again, it was a test to fit it all in.

Here is my report as it appeared in The Rugby Paper of 16 October 2011.

Sedgley Park 8 Ealing 38
National League One
Saturday 12 October 2011

Ealing continued their magnificent start to the season with an impressive bonus-point victory over a disappointing Sedgley Park.

Star man, winger Philip Chesters took advantage of sloppy play by the home side to claim a hat-trick to add to his already impressive haul.

Ealing’s intentions to run from wide came early on, Chesters touching down a grubber kick. That was the only score for the best part of half an hour, as each set of forwards tried to find the upper hand, while the backs were happy enough to kick for territory.

Chesters added another on 30, his chip and chase finding the home defence sleeping while he put down between the posts for Nick Hallett to convert.

Not to be outdone, Peter Hodgkinson on Ealing’s right wing collected a cross-field chip to touch down in the corner, while Sedgley’s first half response was a penalty goal from full-back Greg Smith just before half-time.

Outside centre Rory Damant was the beneficiary of a fine dummy by fly half Ben Ward, scoring near the posts, Hallett adding the extras, before tighthead prop Tim Brockett put down from a fine driving lineout maul.

By the time inside centre Matt Riley scored on 67, it was too little too late, as Chesters had already grabbed his hat-trick after intercepting on his own 10 metre line to run through unopposed.

Scorers:
Sedgley Park
Tries: Riley 67
Penalty Goals: Smith 38
Ealing
Tries: Chesters 7 31 63, Hodgkinson 36, Damant 48, Brockett 56
Conversions: Hallett 31 48 56 64

Half-time: 3 - 17
Star Man: Philip Chesters
Attendance: 187
Referee: Paul Knowles

Teams:
Sedgley Park: G Smith, Dutton, Wainwright, Riley, Harrison, Kohler, S Parrott, Birchall, Oxley, Flynn, Venter, McGowan, Lewis, Dew, Crous
Replacements: Harrison, Wright, Hopa, Runciman, Owens
Ealing: Hallett, Hodgkinson, Damant, McLean-Dents, Chesters, Ward, Thompson, Neville, Alexopoulos, Brockett, Gaynor, Gregory, Nilsson, Starling, Evans
Replacements: Moyce, Brown, Fishwick, Grimes, Wardingley

Here is how the game was seen by the Sedgley Park website.