SEDGLEY Park are feeling positive despite suffering their first defeat of the season.

The fourth game of the new campaign saw the Tigers lose out 12-7 to Tynedale at Park Lane on Saturday.

Both sides battled wretched conditions in a game littered with understandable errors, the visitors holding onto their advantage late on.

That leaves Sedgley fourth in the early National League Two North table ahead of travelling to third-placed Stourbridge this Saturday.

After opening with three wins prior to the Tynedale reverse, assistant coach John Livesey has been impressed with the work of the new man at the helm, Steve Hazelby.

“The new coach is doing brilliantly, especially with the defence,” he said.

“It was just the inability to get consistent moves going on Saturday.

“Our defence was excellent though, and has been since the coach arrived.

“We’re really pleased with the way things are going.”

Tries from Liam Checksfield and Joseph Richards either side of the interval, Jake Rodgers converting both, had put the North East outfit in command.

Tigers winger Jamie Harrison went over with 20 minutes remaining however, Steve Collins adding the two extra points to set up and interesting finale.

It remained 12-7 though on a frustrating afternoon for the home side.

“It’s our first loss of the season, at home, and that’s always upsetting,” said Livesey.

“The weather really didn’t help either side.

“We kicked off at 2.30pm and the heavens opened at 2.30pm. For about half an hour after that there was just a succession of errors from both sides.

“No-one could put together continuous, flowing moves.

“Everyone tried really hard but it was really difficult to put things together at speed.

“It was the same for both sides though and I just think Tynedale’s kicking was that little better than ours.

“Someone summed it up best to me when they said ‘there’s two sides who don’t want to win the game’.

“It was a nice move to reduce the score from 12-0 to 12-7. We pressurised them for the closing stages but they kept us out.

“They were as chuffed to win it as we were disappointed in the end.”

Now attentions are very much on the trip to the West Midlands to face Stourbridge, the Tigers looking to master their plastic pitch.

“It’s going to be a difficult challenge,” said Livesey.

“We haven’t got a lot out of them in the last couple of years, especially on the plastic pitch.

“It can be difficult and you do come off with burns. They changed the way they play. They were a forwards dominated outfit but now with the plastic pitch they play a more open game which is quite entertaining. Some players dislike it and others get on with it. We’ll find out which ones we’ve got on Saturday.”