SEDGLEY PARK 33
TYNEDALE 16
DESPITE a much-improved performance, Tynedale crashed to defeat against pacesetters Sedgley Park Tigers on Saturday.
It was the second successive week they had drawn a blank, as a result of which they now sit down in 12th place in National League Division Two North.
Tynedale had approached the game with some understandable trepidation, as Sedgley Park Tigers -relegated from National One last season - had comfortably beaten Darlington Mowden Park, who in turn humbled Tynedale 55-12 at home last time out.
However, Tynedale left Park Lane with their heads held high, after pushing the league leaders most of the way.
The line-out was still far from slick, and the penalty count way too high, but this was much more like the Tynedale side which finished second in the league last season
Tynedale were without influential captain Oscar Caudle, and also missing from the pack were key figures Will Nankivell and Joe Hanning.
Veteran Ben Bell made his first start of the season out of position in the second row, and did little wrong.
Partnering Bell in the boiler house was the indestructible Chris Wearmouth making his 150th Tynedale appearance at the age of 40, as committed as ever, earning a yellow card for a touch of over enthusiasm.
Free-scoring winger Will Roberts was another absentee, so Joe Tully moved out to the flank.
Tom Mann started at full-back, and the impressive James Lythgoe moved to inside centre.
James Telford returned at scrum-half, and Joe Beaty skippered the side, producing another excellent display.
Also impressing were flanker Archie Fletcher, and fly-half Josh Leslie whose three successful penalties perhaps made it clear that that there’s little point in always kicking for touch from kickable positions when you struggle to win the subsequent line-out.
Tynedale came out of the blocks running, and opened the scoring on eight minutes when Lythgoe stormed over, and Leslie added the extras.
However, the Tigers are a formidable side, with a powerful pack, and they drew level within four minutes with a try from flanker Alessandro Minozzi, converted by fly-half Greg Smith.
The Tigers eased their way in front on 20 minutes when scrum-half Jacob Tansey darted in, and Smith was again successful from the tee.
The Manchester side went further ahead when more forward power brought a try for prop Dan Rylance, and Smith’s conversion took it to 21-7.
Tynedale hit back almost immediately with a Leslie penalty, and the fly-half added another on 39 minutes to make it a respectable 21-13 at the break.
Leslie struck again with a long-range kick from the tee to put Tynedale within touching distance, but the relentless driving mauls of the Tigers proved decisive.
There was more than a hint of a forward pass in the move that led to the bonus-point try for hooker Luke Cole on 61 minutes, and the same player struck again from another line-out catch and drive at the death to give the Tigers a perhaps flattering margin of victory,
Tynedale are on their travels again this Saturday when they go down the A1 to meet promoted Huddersfield.
Like Tynedale, the Yorkshire side have won one and lost two of their opening fixtures, both beating Sheffield Tigers and both losing heavily to Darlington Mowden Park.
However Huddersfield have picked up two more bonus points than Tynedale.
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