Gallagher adds Matt finish to slick show
SUPER Sedgley Park turned on the style to destroy Sheffield in the battle of the Tigers, with Matt Gallagher scoring four tries.
Both teams came into the match with equal recent records, three wins out of four. In the end it was a one-sided affair.
Sedge had the first chance to score after 10 minutes with a Steve Collins penalty, but he hooked it to the left of the post.
But two minutes later they opened the scoring with scrum-half Cam Crampton’s first try of the season, provided by a classy hand-off from impressive in-form hooker Gallagher, just to the right of the upright.
Collins converted to add the two extra points.
It was Gallagher with the second try after 18 when Sedge opted for a line-out from a penalty awarded ten metres out.
The throw-in was collected and the rolling maul pushed forward and Gallagher dropped over.
Collins added a further three points with a penalty after 25 minutes.
Sedge’s third try was a carbon copy of the second, with Gallagher again dropping over with the help of the maul.
Gallagher’s hat-trick was completed at the end of the first half when quick hands and slick passing found the hooker in space on the left and he drove through to earn Park a try bonus point.
The second half started where the first half finished with Sedge pushing for further points.
After 44 minutes Will Lees, swapping from his usual Number 7 to 8 for the injured Tom Ailes, found space on the right and added a further five points with his third try of the season.
Two minutes later it was a fourth try for Gallagher
who broke through the visitors defence, taking his tally to 23 for the campaign.
The next 15 minutes were Sheffield’s best of the match.
But for some loose handling, the South Yorkshire team may have got on the scoresheet.
Before today, Sedge hadn’t totally blocked out an opponent this season, but they looked in the mood to do just that, and were rock solid in defence when needed.
The home side were reduced to 14 after 66 when flanker Mark Goodman was yellow-carded for an infringement after the referee had blown to award a penalty. In truth, It didn’t make much difference to the game.
After 67 minutes Jacob Tansey burst down the right to add a further five. Collins converted for another two points.
Five minutes later, in what was a repeat of his previous try, it was Tansey again down the right. Collins converted to complete the scoring.
Sedgley Park played in a changed kit for charity – green and white – with a Hulk theme, and maybe they brought a bit of that character to the game, it certainly looked it!