SEDGLEY Park need to take the positives from their defeat to champions-elect Caldy, according to assistant coach Steve Hazzelby.

The Tigers went down 32-11 in West Kirkby as the National Two North leaders made it 21 wins out of 21 this season and moved on to 100 points for the campaign after pulling clear in the second half.

Sedgley are third and will be looking to cement that spot when they host fifth-placed Loughborough Students at Park Lane on Saturday.

“Caldy deserved the win and good luck to them when they get promoted back into National One,” said Hazzelby.

“The scoreline does not reflect the overall performance of the boys though.

“We played some solid rugby for large periods of the game and need to take the positives going forward into our next game.

“Loughborough took the honours earlier in the season at their ground so this is going to be a big challenge.”

Conditions on Saturday were difficult with a driving wind going down the pitch.

The hosts started well at Paton Field and got their noses in front with a penalty on the quarter-hour mark. The Tigers responded with a Steve Collins penalty five minutes later however to level things up.

The first try went the way of the leaders though as, from a good lineout and drive from the forwards, Caldy took the lead with a fine line break which led to an unconverted score out wide on the right.

Sedgley continued to test the Caldy defence though and hit back with a try for winger Jamie Harrison after a patient and controlled build-up in the 22.

It was therefore 8-8 at the break and although parity was encouraging the Tigers were made to pay for not making the most of playing with the elements.

The Tigers went in front courtesy of a Collins penalty on 52 minutes but the advantage was to be short-lived, as Caldy scored a penalty of their own before taking the lead with a converted try after a well-controlled driving maul.

That turned out to be the turning point in the game with the hosts adding two more converted tries, the Tigers’ cause not helped by Collins being forced off with a dead leg.

To their credit Sedgley did press to try and get themselves back into things but couldn’t find a way through the Caldy defence.