Sedgley Park 18 Blackheath 27

A comfortable win for Blackheath, but not before two Sedgley Park tries in the final ten minutes gave the Club a late scare.

The visitors were punished twice in as many minutes for a lack of concentration that allowed Sedge open-side Garth Dew to break through the centre. And then a four to two overlap down the right flank saw wing Steve Nutt dive across before the Club pack resumed control to see out time.

It should never have got that close.

By the final minutes Blackheath were in firm control in most departments, particularly the line-out, where captain and second-row Tom Bason and hooker Harry Allen combined magnificently, and the set-piece scrum too had their counterparts marching backwards.

Flanker Dave Allen opened the scoring on nine minutes, crashing over from a drive after a throw five metres from the opposition goal-line.

Sedge full-back Matt Riley responded with a penalty as the hosts found enough possession to stretch the Blackheath defence but Club centre Sam Windsor quickly responded with a successful strike before adding a drop-goal just prior to the interval to establish a 10-point advantage.

Mistakes, including three kicks to touch on the full, disrupted Blackheath’s momentum for a while and Sedgley Park certainly started the second period more positively, a second penalty doubling their score.

But Blackheath still had the better chances and when, on 55 minutes, fly-half Matt Vaughan sent a well-directed kick down the left flank for wing Tyson Lewis to race after, collect and weave under the posts for a converted score, the visitors held a 14-point lead.

Dave Allen dived over for his second try, and 7th of the season, in the 68th minute and thoughts must have turned towards a four-try bonus point.

But instead a late burst from the hosts brought some cheer to the home crowd on a bright but chilly afternoon at Park Lane, and Blackheath will be content to have gained a win that keeps them in third place in National League One.

Next Saturday Blackheath return to Rectory Field to take on Cinderford in a 3.00 pm KO.

Sedgley Park Tries: Dew, Nutt.

Conv: Nutt.

Pens: Riley, Nutt.

Blackheath Tries: Allen (Dave) 2, Lewis.

Conv: Windsor 3.

Pens: Windsor.

DG: Windsor.