SEDGLEY PARK 22, COVENTRY 19: Sometimes it is not skill that wins games but pure, undiluted effort, and that's just what the Tigers served up to end a six-game winless spell and record an impressive double over sleeping giants Coventry.

"If this game had been played earlier in the season we would have crumbled," said player-coach Tim Fourie.

"But we showed a real gutsy spirit, we looked like we wanted it, even though we gave them ten points.

"All we needed to do was tighten things up, which we did, and we got what we wanted and needed a win."

Assistant coach Andy Northey expanded a little when he said: "As you saw, we had a simple game plan: keep them in their own half and pressure them.

"I said to the lads you are going to have to be exhausted to win this, and they were.

"All 22 came off absolutely shattered, but that's what it takes, we had to get to that point to win.

"They went to places I'd asked them to go previously but never got to. Today they did.

"It wasn't perfect, I mean we made some howling errors, but we fought and dogged and should have lost, but we didn't.

"Like Tim said, we stuck at it, we stayed in the game for 80 minutes. It was what we needed.

"But we have to learn from this and kick on, we have to keep winning at Park Lane."

Just like the previous week's defeat at Doncaster, technically it was not exactly a masterclass.

However, Sedgley showed true gladiatorial spirit and in addition to a never-say-die mindset, there were some long awaited performances from key players that helped to keep them ahead of a Coventry side that could not match the Tigers' will to win.

Phil Jones rediscovered his touch kicking, and five successful penalties out of seven the last one on 81 minutes securing the win when a 19-19 split appeared on the cards, were the difference.

Arno De Jager showed he has rediscovered his appetite and confidence, proving safe under the high ball, willing to join the attack and drive the ball in, and was responsible for setting up his side's only try of the afternoon.

Fourie continued to make the initial hard yards particularly off the scrum and ruck, while centres Woof and Voortman prodded away all afternoon for a weakness while youngster Jamie Albinson looked calm and composed under intense pressure."

Sedgley didn't start either half well, conceding a try one minute after the opening whistle and then within 60 seconds of the restart after half-time.

The visitors kicked the game off and were awarded a scrum 25 metres out from the home try-line after a knock-on.

A tap-penalty quickly followed and a bullocking run from skipper Hendry Rheeders spearheaded a move that aw the ball moved from right to left where a two-man overlap was created for former Orrell flyer James Moore to show his pace and go over in the left-hand corner for an unconverted try.

Six minutes later Jones kicked a 30-metre penalty to make it 3-5, however, poor tackling reared its ugly head when the Sedgley midfield was put under pressure and threatened to cough up another try.

Indeed, on 12 minutes the Coventry backline fashioned another overlap on the left, but this time an unforced knock-on brought the move to a grinding halt.

There then followed an incident which appeared so clear cut as to warrant a straight red card.

At a ruck Sedgley prop Gerallt Evans was clearing Coventry's Craig McGrath out of the way when the scrumhalf took exception and began to punch Evans repeatedly, not three metres from referee and fellow Welshman, Llyr Apgeraint Roberts. Evans did not retaliate and even turned his back to deflect the blows. Yet after consulting both touch judges Mr Roberts deemed it sufficient to administer a severe telling off to McGrath.

Justice was seen to be done on 25 minutes when from a second lineout success in as many minutes Fourie set-up the driving maul, the bal was then spun from right to left where De Jager joined the line at pace and was fed by Woof. However he was brought down a couple of metres short of the Coventry line but was able to pop the ball up to the incoming Voortman, who powered over from close range to give Jones the easiest of conversions to make it 10-5 to the home side.

Ten minutes later Jones was wide of the mark with a 35-metre penalty but Fourie and Woof continued to drive the ball in at every opportunity.

Jones was then successful once more with the boot, this time from 40 metres to ensure Sedgley led 13-5 at the turnaround.

But that joy was short-lived.

Coventry's re-start kick bounced backwards off Chris Wilkinson's boots and up into the arms of the advancing Rheeders, who then followed up his own grubber kick to touchdown between the posts and give Moore an easy two-pointer to make it 13-12.

But once more Sedgley picked themselves up and began to hammer away at the Coventry defence, aided by Jones' superb touch finding with the boot.

Sedgley kept the forward pressure up and battered away at the Coventry defence and it took its toll when the visitors conceded another penalty and Jones stroked over an easy 10-metre kick to make it 16-12.

All the hard work then appeared to be undone when Coventry fielded a Jones punt on 63 minutes and the bal was once more sent out to the left where Moore utilised his pace again to go in between the posts before adding the conversion to make it 16-19 to the visitors.

The effort required continued to be served up by Sedgley, and even when Erik Lund was yellow-carded on 68 minutes and they were reduced to 14 men, they refused to take a backward step.

Three minutes from time they were rewarded with another penalty, which Jones banged over from 38 metres to make it all square at 19-19.

Not wanting to share the points Sedgley forced their opponents into yet another penalty and Jones did the business from 35 metres to guarantee the first win since the 32-28 defeat of fellow strugglers London Welsh back on October 22.

If the Tigers can achieve what assistant coach Northey wants, in making Park Lane a fortress, then with seven homes games to come in the second half of the season, Sedgley should be bale to banish any fears of relegation.

l Victory was made all the better for Northey when he revealed: "Me and 'Hoppo' (Richard Hopkinson) had a bet that if we won he had to go on the Atkins Diet for a month. Well fat lad, get your meat in!"

SEDGLEY: Wilkinson, Peters (De Jager 9), Woof, Voortman, Hopkinson, Jones, McCormack (J. Albinson 39), Evans (Gazzola 40), Oxley (Keys 74), Thomas (Du Plessis 57), Rowe, Lund, Senior (Skurr 65), Ponton, Fourie (Anania 65).