Sedgley Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 20pts, New Brighton . . . . . . . . . . . 28pts

NEW Brighton kept up their hopes of promotion from Jewsons National League North Two with an important win at Sedgley Park, but with Preston losing at Kendal the Blues are left with the big IF word close to their lips.

If the Blues had not conceded that injury time winning try against Preston at Reeds Lane in December, if Murray King's resulting late penalty kick had gone the other side of the upright, and if the Blues had played true to form at Sandal and Nuneaton in January . . . if!

Points difference promoted New Brighton last season and who is to say that it could not be the same again this year?

Sedgley started well and scored an early try when winger Morris finished off a flowing move and Moon converted for 7-0.

New Brighton responded through two penalty kicks from stand-in kicker Paul Brett in the absence of Murray King for 6-7, before Moon kicked two further penalties for 13-6 to Sedgley.

With the interval looming, the Blues lost Mark Dorrington with a knee problem and Phil Gazzola came on as a replacement. Another penalty from Brett reduced the defecit to 9-13 at half-time.

The Blues started the second-half in command. Skipper Kevin Brookman touched down and Brett converted, then Brett kicked a penalty and the Blues were leading 13-23 on 65 minutes.

New Brighton were now cruising. With just five minutes of normal time remaining, man-of-the-match Simon Wright crossed to score for a 13-28 lead on 75 minutes. Brett narrowly failed with the conversion.

With nine minutes of time added on for stoppages, Sedgley Park were awarded a series of penalties to build a position from which Kimmins scored a consolation try, converted by Moon for a final score of 20-28.

The Blues travel to Macclesfield in the Thwaites Cheshire Senior Cup semi-final on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm), before resuming Jewsons National League action on Saturday week, when they welcome Kendal to Reeds Lane.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.