SEDGLEY Tigers were denied victory on home soil with virtually the last kick of the game against Leicester Lions on Saturday.

With the visitors trailing by two points, a penalty in the final minute – albeit from 40 metres out – gave them a chance to steal the points.

But the ball rolled off it’s tee in the wind and Leicester quickly picked up the ball and went for a drop goal which, with the help of that same wind, went through the posts to break Sedgley hearts.

General manager Geoff Roberts admitted the dressing room was a quiet place post-match and that his players were left gutted by the outcome, despite outscoring the Lions with three tries from Andy Riley (two) and Connor James, to Leicester’s one.

But he is challenging them to regroup ahead of Saturday’s trip across the snowy Pennines to face Sheffield Tigers.

Roberts said: “It was a real heartbreaker for us, to score three tries to Leicester’s one and still end up losing.

“It was a real strange way to end the game.

“Their guy placed the ball and had just a minute left to take the penalty from 40 metres out.

“Then the wind blew the ball off the tee and they just picked it up and went for a drop goal that got caught by the wind and sailed over,

“The place was very quiet afterwards – the lads were all gutted.

“Meanwhile, their side thought their birthday, Christmas and wedding day had all come at once!

“It is the way the cookie has been crumbling for us this season.

“We just have to get our heads back up and look to the Sheffield game as long as the weather allows that game to be on.”

Sedgley were not alone in losing against the odds at the weekend with National Two North leaders Hull Ionians also going down, as well as the team just above the Tigers, Hinckley.

Roberts added: “It’s a blow we lost as we could have gained ground.

“It is a really weird season because nearly all teams are half-decent with no whipping boys at all.

“Everybody is capable of beating everybody else and that has not happened for a long time in this division.”

For Sedgley, there have been mitigating factors throughout the campaign with a succession of injuries to key players meaning Roberts has found it difficult to name a settled side.

He said: “Last weekend again we had five missing out of our pack.

“Four could be back this weekend but having to change it around every week means you never get any consistency.”