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Sedgley Park Tigers v Moseley,
at Park Lane, Whitefield, National League Division 1,
Saturday, 5th April 2008, k.o. 3.00 pm |
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For a Rugby Union side to survive in Rugby League country requires a
continuous effort, for the thirteen man game offers a high standard of
entertainment, fitness and skill. Any club that survives, playing all its
games away for two seasons following eviction from its rented ground, as did
Sedgley Park soon after the end of WW2, is clearly a force to be reckoned
with.
Sedgley Park is a district of Manchester about two miles north of the city.
In 1955 the club moved to its present site and during the next twenty years
became a respected junior club, but in the years before the advent of League
rugby, advancement was practically impossible, especially for a club
notorious for its muddy pitches. Nevertheless, in 1978, the club took the
risk of building a two-storey club house, which was completed in 1982 for
its Golden Jubilee season.
When the Courage League began in 1987, Sedgley Park Rugby Club placed in
North West 2 (Level 8) from which promotion was gained at the first attempt.
The club spent seven seasons in that league until the game went ‘open’ in
the middle nineties.
Promotion was achieved in three successive seasons, one pitch became two and
floodlights and terracing were installed. The Tigers were promoted to
National League Two in 2001 and attained League One status in 2004, the
clubs’ sixth promotion since 1987. It is an inspiring story.
Since then however the Tigers have struggled to maintain their place. At the
end of the 2005-06 season the club was handed a ‘Get-out-of-Jail’ card and
remained in League One due to the expansion of the League. This season the
Tigers place is similarly under threat and Saturday’s game will have a major
bearing on the club’s future status.
Sedgley Park last four results are:
2nd March v Bedford Home Lost 7-22
9th March v Cornish Pirates Away Lost 10-36
22nd March v Plymouth Albion Away Lost 19-25
29th March v Bedford Home Lost 7-22
The current rankings at the bottom of National League 1 are:
Team/Played/Points
Moseley 26 47
Newbury 26 43
Sedgley Park 27 35
Launceston 26 30
Bees
27 29
As well as playing Moseley, Sedgley Park play away to Birmingham/Solihull on
19th April. It is all rather challenging. End of season matches against
frantic teams who are staring relegation in the face are always very
difficult. The result of the home fixture in November was a 13-13 draw and
Moseley will need to improve upon that performance to get a result this
Saturday.
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