MATCH REPORT: NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 14 - 4 MIDLANDS HURRICANES (BETFRED LEAGUE ONE ROUND TWELVE)

The Canes heading out onto the pitch (Credit: Deborah Eastham Photography)

Canes blow cold as Crusaders do the double in Colwyn Bay

Last Sunday saw Betfred League One’s two in-form teams collide for the second time this year, as league leaders North Wales Crusaders welcomed Midlands Hurricanes to Stadiwm CSM for what both Mark Dunning and Carl Forster had gone to great lengths to avoid calling a top-of-the-table clash. The game did, however, present an opportunity for the Canes to seek revenge over the hosts who already had the benefit of an 18-31 win at The Alexander Stadium on Easter Saturday. The game also presented an opportunity for a number of players to make their mark, with new signing Liam Kirk debuting off the bench and Captain Callum McLelland, Mikey Wood and Ryan Johnson all returning from injury to the starting line-up.

Whilst the scores stayed even for the first 15 minutes the momentum very much favoured the Canes, with sets ending strongly and the hosts struggling to control the back-and-forth battle for territory. That momentum eventually developed into points as a Mikey Wood carry forced Crusaders back onto their try-line, with Aiden Roden feeding a short pass to a rampaging Jon-Luke Kirby who crashed through the defence to get the ball over the line left of the sticks (0-4). Matty Chrimes stepped up to kick the conversion but missed, potentially rueing his decision to take the kick almost 25 metres from the try-line.

Todd Horner beats two Crusaders players in the contest (Credit: Deborah Eastham Photography)

That set-back appeared to reinvigorate the North Welsh outfit, and only a couple of minutes a strong attacking set forced Midlands to concede a goal-line drop out. From the resulting set, hooker Joe Baldwin spotted a half-gap and darted forward to barge his way over a couple of Canes defenders and crash over to score (4-4). Veteran half-back Jamie Dallimore was on hand to add the extras from out wide (6-4), and the hosts gained a lead they ultimately would not concede for the rest of the game.

Little of note happened in the 20 minutes that followed Baldwin’s try, however the Canes may feel hard done by as a knock-back of a high bomb over the try-line by Matty Hanley was pounced on by Tom Wilkinson, only to be immediately ruled out by the referee as a knock-on. Matty Hanley would also feature in the other attacking opportunity for of note the Canes of the first half, with a long looping pass from Sully Medforth spilt on the right wing and gifting the hosts a scrum on their 10 metre line.

Half-time: North Wales Crusaders 6-4 Midlands Hurricanes

Danny Barcoe charges forward (Credit: Deborah Eastham Photography)

Unlike the first half, the second half was controlled professionally by the hosts who were allowed to frustrate and slow down play on the back of poor completion rates from the visitors. North Wales lead was extended just five minutes into the second half as a high bomb was spilled backwards in the contest before being carried into a number of Canes defenders, with the attacking player finding an opportunity to off-load to full-back Lloyd Roby who found himself in space to slide over to score in the right-hand corner (10-4). Faced with another difficult kick, Jamie Dallimore nailed an impressive conversion attempt from out wide and extended the hosts lead to eight points (12-4).

Things would go from bad to worse for the Canes a few minutes later, with Tom Wilkinson copping a sin-bin for a late hit on a passing Crusaders player. Despite having the man advantage, some resilient defending from Midlands prevented North Wales from extending their lead any further for the entire ten minute spell. The hosts would however find themselves in a position to extend their lead further in the final fifteen minutes as numerous penalties put them in front of the posts just ten metes out. Jamie Dallimore stood up and called for the kicking tee, before duly kicking the penalty and helping his team wind down the clock (14-4).

Ross Oakes prevents Patrick Ah Van from securing a third Crusaders try (Credit: Deborah Eastham Photography)

The final stages of the match saw North Wales continue to wind the clock down, with slow sets and strong defence causing frustration for a Midlands side that just couldn’t seem to make the break necessary to get back into the game. Canes fans in Colwyn Bay were frustrated that a late hit on Sully Medforth did not even attract a penalty in light of the sin-bin handed to Tom Wilkinson, however Wilkinson came close to securing a second try for the visitors as his scoot from dummy half brought him within a metre of the Crusaders line.

The ending of the game was emblematic of Midlands’ afternoon, as multiple Crusaders defenders wrapped up Mikey Woods who was deemed to have knocked-on via a loose carry despite multiple North Wales hands being over the ball at the time. The full-time hooter sounded just as the teams trundled to form a scrum, and an afternoon to forget would come to an end as Mark Dunning’s men suffered just their second defeat of the league campaign - once again to the table-topping North Wales outfit.

Whilst the Canes will be frustrated by North Wales doing the double over them this season, the lads can take solace in the fact that other results around the league went in their favour as Swinton Lions defeated Workington Town 24-14 and a dramatic 80th minute penalty from Matty Beharrell neutralised a Jack Miller drop goal and saw Keighley Cougars produce a shock 26-25 win over Rochdale Hornets. The Canes therefore remain in second place - two points ahead of third-placed Workington but three points behind North Wales. The Canes will now need to turn their attention to Goole Vikings who make the trip down to Birmingham on Sunday following a 14-20 away victory over Dewsbury Rams on the Friday.

Full-time: North Wales Crusaders 14-4 Midlands Hurricanes

One feathered fan got a birds eye view of proceedings (Credit: Deborah Eastham Photography)

MAN OF THE MATCH:
Jon-Luke Kirby (Sponsored by EJ Interiors Ltd)

TRIES:
Kirby

SCORING SEQUENCE:
0-4, 4-4, 6-4, 10-4, 12-4 and 14-4.