Dave’s Diary March 3rd ahead of Rams game.
March at last, and I chose to watch SP 2s against Rochdale 2s last Saturday, and I didn’t make a very good job of it. Unaware of the early kick off, I arrived just before half-time, and by then Sedge were out of sight against the bottom team in the league.
It was good to see Bertie Bradshaw back in action, and he had three first half tries. Rochdale played with plenty of spirit, despite the score, but about fifteen minutes into the second half an injury to one of their lads ended the game. It was a knee dislocation – horrible! – and you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. All at Park Lane will wish him a speedy and complete recovery.
Despite the limited match-time available to me, I managed quite a decent photo set, which is here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/forwarddefensive/albums/72177720324186494
I could have stayed to watch our 3s against Tarleton 2s (which Sedge lost 21-59), but Sedge Media were covering the 1st XV game at Blackheath. Given the mauling (literally) which we had received at the hands of ‘Club’ earlier in the season, I had few hopes for our chances, but our gutsy performance made my weekend.
There is an excellent and very fair match report on the Blackheath website, and a photo album. https://blackheathrugby.co.uk/2025-03-01-club-v-sedgley-park-2/
That’s the third time in three away games we have played brilliantly: the win at Bishop’s Stortford, the narrow defeat at Plymouth, and now this heart-stopping win in London. Your home supporters would like to see some of this too, boys, if that can be managed, please.
We look forward to the visit of the Rams from Reading. For the early part of the season they looked the most likely league winners, but four defeats in a row have seen them all but drop out of the promotion race. Rotherham and Richmond now seem best placed, and we play both of them this month.
On the subject of relegation, I think it safe to say no one knows; or if they do, they’re not telling. Currently, there are only twelve clubs in the Championship, and this is due to be increased to fourteen. No relegation from level 2, therefore, and one extra promotion from our league would achieve this…except for the possibility of formerly bankrupt clubs being allowed to return at that level. I refer to Worcester, Wasps and London Irish.
Will it be one club relegated from National 1, or two? Nominally, it is supposed to be three, and we are still not out of those particular woods, not with the fixtures ahead of us in March. It all reads like a game in Alice in Wonderland, where no one knows the rules.
Three cheers for the RFU. Or do I mean two cheers? Or one? Cheers, anyway.
Dave
