A Rhys Henderson hat-trick was in vain for Sedgley Park after Blackheath won 36-24 at Park Lane in National One on Saturday.

Sedgley went into the game on the back of an impressive win the previous week against Plymouth Albion, which not only ended Plymouth’s four-game unbeaten run but also gave Scott Barrow’s Tigers their first win in five.

Blackheath would also be keen to keep up their form after putting up 50 points in a win against Esher the previous game and after completing the double over Tigers last year, the south-east Londoners were looking to continue to be the thorn in Sedgley’s side.

It was the Tigers who got the ball rolling with an early try from captain Matthew Riley with Ollie Glasse, making his 150th appearance for Tigers, converting.

The hosts extended their lead from a Nathan Pope looping pass which found winger Henderson, who scored in the corner.

Blackheath responded well as an audacious kick into touch from fly-half Tom Ffitch gave the visitors a chance to score. A lineout at the five-metre line was delivered and set up a driving maul which saw hooker, Billy Harding score, and Ffitch converted the extras.

Minutes later, Blackheath scored again through Harding, with a carbon copy of his first try to bring the scores level.

A late chance at the end of the half came for Blackheath’s scrum-half, Jordan Burns, who sprinted away to be just put into touch before he could place the ball down, ending a closely-contested first period.

The first half had shown what previous games between both sides had displayed - hard-hitting tackles, blistering runs and tough scrums was the main course of action but moments of brilliance was to be the key to unlock both defences.

The second half saw Blackheath grab hold of the game with an unbelievable try from Jake Hennessy, who breezed past four defenders to score between the sticks leaving Ffitch with an easy conversion.

Ffitch’s kicking extended the lead after he struck home a penalty kick midway through the second half.

The game then slipped out of the Tigers’ the grasp as Blackheath sealed the bonus-point victory with tries from Jordan Burns and Will Davis.

Sedgley did secure themselves a bonus point in defeat through two more tries for Henderson, who walked away with a hat-trick on a disappointing afternoon for the home side.

A week off for Tigers now gives them a chance to recuperate and reset before a tough test away from home when they travel to league leaders Rams on November 9.