THERE was a sense of relief among the Sedgley Park faithful at Whitefield after their side had lost its opening game in National One .

That might seem an odd emotion following a defeat but, for a newly promoted side currently playing at the highest level in its history, the first requirement had to be to discover if they had the oxygen to survive at such a dizzy height.

Considering that they faced a team of full-time professionals in Plymouth and a side that, with relegated Rotherham facing an uncertain future, is regarded as a strong contender for promotion to the Zurich Premiership.

By half time, when Park deservedly led 13-19, I was starting to wonder which was the professional outfit. The opening ten minutes had been a trifle worrying as the big, Plymouth side dominated possession but a yellow card for centre Ian Voortman for a high tackle on Plymouth wing James Pritchard seemed to galvanise them.

Admittedly that incident led to the visitors taking the lead, Pritchard finishing off a break resulting from the penalty and then adding the conversion, but the remainder of the half saw Park very much in the ascendancy.

They knocked Plymouth back in the tackle, put pressure on them in the scrums and drove them backwards in the loose. They also looked sharper in thought and deed. Unfortunately, Plymouth scored a try in the opening minute of the second half and Park were very much on the back foot thereafter although always in touch on the scoreboard.

Pride

Indeed, four minutes into injury time, they were within seven points of Plymouth and therefore in line to salvage a losing bonus point as well as their pride.

Smiles on Sedgley faces after the final whistle still told its own story. Tim Fouries players had climbed a mountain and were relieved to discover they are unlikely to be struck down by altitude sickness. Several key players are still undergoing treatment for injuries so it was a job well done by the rest and the only area of real concern is the lineout.

At this level they need to introduce experienced lineout operators and the loss to Orrell of Paul Arnold will hurt them until they find a suitable replacement. The armoury at present comprises Erik The Viking Lund, whose kid brother Magnus will be trying to keep Neil Back quiet at Edgeley Park on Sunday where Sale Sharks take on Leicester Tigers.

Fourie battled manfully out of position but, by the second half, Park were unable to be sure of their own lineouts and stopped competing on Plymouths throw.

They defended Plymouths drive very well and heroically but the body can only take so much punishment. It was a testimony to Parks resilience in the first half that Plymouth started going for goal rather than touch when awarded penalties by a generous referee.

Althougth Park fans are inclined to be partisan there were times when I wondered whose eyesight was defective, mine or that of referee David Rose.

After falling behind in the aftermath of Voortrnans unscheduled departure to the sin-bin, some enterprising work by new fly-half Blair Feeney he had earlier been denied a penalty try as he was blocked as he chased his own kick over the Plymouth line and right in front of the referee.

He then hoisted the ball out of defence and, having retrieved it himself, slipped it to Richard Welding.

I admired Welding when he was at Orrell and it was no more than I expected when the youngster showed Plymouths defence a clean pair of heels. Feeney converted and added two penalties to ensure Plymouth had plenty to discuss with their coach, former England hooker Graham Dawe, over their half time oranges.

Dawe, of course, might well have used the expression lemons.

Park needed to maintain the pressure at the start of the second half but their most dangerous player, ex-Orrell back row Alfie Tooala, burst through some weak tackling to score by the posts. Plymouth then drove the ball from a lineout for second row Andrew Perry to score but a brief Park rally saw Voortman plunge over after a determined run by Welding.

Then, as the game moved into injury time with at least a losing bonus point beckoning, Perry repeated the process with what turned out to be a drive too far for Parks hard-working defence.