SEDGLEY Tigers gave their fans and coaching staff a much easier ride on Saturday with a regulation 39-8 win at home to second-bottom Wharfedale.

The Park Lane men ran in seven tries from seven different scorers to hammer home their superiority - a far cry from the previous weekend when they lost by a point in a nerve-shredding match at National Two North promotion rivals Sale.

A number of Sedgley matches have gone down to the wire this campaign, which has included two draws and three tight defeats.

"It was good to have a week where we weren't biting our fingernails at the end," said coach Geoff Roberts.

"It was just a solid, clinical team performance and the result was never in doubt."

Sedgley had been left eight points adrift of second-placed Sale following their "nailbiting"defeat, but clawed one point back on Saturday thanks to their try-scoring bonus after their rivals failed to pick up an extra point in their 17-5 win at Chester.

Roberts' side remain 11 points behind leaders Caldy, who travel to Sale this weekend.

With the league champions going up automatically and the second-placed team heading into a play-off at the end of the season, whatever the result of the top two clash, Sedgley will reduce the gap to the promotion places if they pick up maximum points at home to Scunthorpe.

"It is hard to know who I would rather win (between Sale and Caldy)," said the Sedgley coach.

"We like to think that we can keep going for top spot, in which case a Sale win would be the better result.

"But if they don't manage to beat Caldy then that would bring Sale closer to us.

"Ideally, it will be a close, low-scoring game, so neither pick up a bonus point, which all add up at the end of the season."

Sedgley earned their ninth bonus point of the campaign in their free-scoring win against Wharfedale.

Matt Riley, Tom Bedlow and Mark Goodman, a recent addition to the back-row forwards, ran in tries in the first half to make it 17-3 at the break.

Substitute winger Richard Lepori, a recent convert from rugby league, kicked off the scoring in the second half with a try two minutes into his debut, before further scores from Callum McShane, Sam Lowthian and Sam Peet.

Matt Riley, deputising on kicking duties for the injured Steve Collins, made just two of his six attempts at goal, while Andy Riley also missed a kick.

Full-back Rob Holloway continued to deputise well for Collins at number 10, while Shaun Needham and Max Skofic returned following concussion.

"Yet again we have shown that there is strength in depth in the squad," added Roberts.

"We also had Jamie Harrison back in the ranks and a new prop forward in Simon Phillips, who joins us from Manchester Metropolitan University.

"Simon has been drafted in to replace Harri Greville, who has now emigrated to Australia.

"It is not easy to replace players during the season, especially props, but we have managed to keep the team ticking over and we are still there or thereabouts, which is all you can ask for."