Sedgley Park’s losing streak in National One ended with an impressive 41-26 home win against fourth-placed Plymouth Albion on Saturday.

It was the visitors who got on the scoreboard first with a well-worked converted try within the first three minutes and followed this up with a second score five minutes later after a break down the narrow side by their left winger putting them 14-0 in the lead within the first 10 minutes.

Despite this initial setback, the hosts were playing good, controlled rugby in the right areas of the field and a lineout 30 metres out saw Rhys Henderson come off his right wing and touch down in the top left-hand corner. Full-back Oli Glasse added a penalty shortly after and the Tigers were back in the game at 14-8 with most of the half to go.

The game was pretty even at this point with both teams looking to build momentum and continuity, but it was the Tigers who scored next on the half hour when a lovely passage of play interlinking forwards and backs saw the ball moved sharply to the right and a brilliant run by Henderson saw him beat three defenders and touch down for his second try. Glasse added the conversion to make it 15-14 at the interval.

One of the highlights of the first half was the home defence sets where time after time they pushed Plymouth back - sometimes for 25-plus phases.

Playing down the Parl Lane slope, Sedgley were looking to build a lead. They needed to win the kick battle and come away with points every time they were in Albion’s 22, but also knew this would require hard work and concentration for 40 minutes.

The third Tigers try came in the 47th minute when great phase play on the opposition’s five-metre line saw scrum-half Matt Sturgess feed a lovely inside pass to number eight Tom Ailes, who crashed over. Glasse added the conversion to make it 22-14.

A yellow card for centre Cam Scanlon shortly after put the hosts down to 14 players for 10 minutes, but they managed to keep Plymouth out.

A kick downfield by scrum-half Will Wooton in the 67th minute was kicked on by fly-half Charlie Wardle, who touched down for a fourth and bonus-point try the stretch the lead going into the last 13 minutes.

Plymouth continued to pressure the line but an interception by fly-half Wardle saw him race 75 metres to score his second try before Glasse again added the conversion to make it 36-14.

Four minutes later, substitute hooker Adam Mallinson came on and latched on to a catch-and-drive by the forwards to give Sedgley a sixth try, though Plymouth did hit back in the last minutes of the game with two tries of their own to give them the losing bonus point.

But the day belonged to the Tigers with a well deserved victory and coach Steve Hazzelby said: “This was an exceptional performance from the whole squad, but special mention for fly-half Charlie Wardle who was the star man with two tries and a man-of-the-match performance.”

This Saturday, Sedgley are at home again in the league with Londoners Blackheath the visitors.