Jersey claimed the spoils after a hard-fought encounter against a Moseley side battling for Championship survival.
Defeat in the Channel Islands left the Birmingham side at the bottom of the table, although Head Coach Kevin Maggs was heartened by his team’s display.
“It was a big improvement on the way we played against Nottingham, but I’m still disappointed as I feel that we could have got more than a losing bonus point if we’d taken all our chances,” he said. “But we’re still in charge of our own destiny and will be looking to get wins in our next matches against Rotherham and Ealing.”
Nick Haining scored the opening try for Jersey after taking a deft pass from Uili Kolo’ofa’i, but Moseley replied soon afterwards when fly-half Charlie Foley jinked over in the corner after a spell of pressure by his side.
The teams were evenly-matched for the most part on a day when swirling cross-winds provided testing conditions. Moseley’s scrum was stronger and twice pushed the Jersey eight off their own ball, but the home side’s lineout functioned more effectively and continuously picked off their opponents’ throw-ins.
Foley added a penalty to put his team ahead, and although Aaron Penberthy responded, another Foley effort was enough to give the visitors a one-point half-time lead.
As in the first half, Jersey struck early after the resumption, with the consistently excellent Haining going close and then flanker James Freeman going over for the try. The home side then won a series of penalties and pressed through attacking lineouts and rolling mauls, which culminated in a yellow card for Greg Charlton for bringing down a maul and then a Jersey try finished by Kolo’ofa’i.
Moseley’s second try followed powerful running by Buster Lawrence, after which Greg King burst through and gave a scoring pass to Kyle Evans. But otherwise the visitors were frustrated and continued to lose a large proportion of lineout possession.
Jersey were focusing primarily on the win, rather than a possible try bonus point, and were able to play out the closing minutes in relative comfort.
“The boys are a bit disappointed as they feel they didn’t play to their full potential,” said Jersey Forwards Coach Steve Boden. “There were some key moments which probably made the difference between a close game and a bonus point win, but personally I thought it was a good display in tough conditions.”
TEAMS
JERSEY: Adair (Owen 77); Howe, Evans, Cooke, Lane; Penberthy, Fisilau; Lockwood (Lancuba 68), Selway (Garcia-Veiga 46), Herriott (Kerrod 40), Phillips (Markham 24), Kolo'ofa'i, Rae (c), Freeman, Haining. Not used: Spinks, Moates.
MOSELEY: Evans; Watkins, King, Molenaar, Cheshire; Foley, Brown (Brazier 68); Fidler (Warren 59), Caves (Tolmie 59), Gardiner (Voisey 48), Charlton (Raven 64), Flagg, Lawrence, Siggery, Brightwell (c). Not used: Hone, Hudson.
REFEREE: Steve Lee (RFU)
ATTENDANCE: 1,526
Star Man: Nick Haining (Jersey)
Half Time: 10-11
Scorers
Jersey
Tries: Haining 5, Freeman 43, Kolo’ofa’I 55
Conversions: Penberthy 5, 55
Penalty: Penberthy 33
Moseley
Tries: Foley 14, Evans 69
Conversion: Foley 69
Penalties: Foley 24, 36
