Celtic Crusaders went down 30-22 at Mount Pleasant on Sunday to a battling Batley Bulldogs who are now virtually safe from relegation.

The Crusaders remain in third place in National League One knowing that they must now beat Sheffield Eagles, currently in fourth, next Saturday at the Brewery Field if they are to keep up the pressure on top two Salford and Halifax.

The ground had almost as much slope as your average Rhondda Valley street and the Crusaders chose to run downhill in the first half, hoping to use the track to their advantage and to build up a quick lead.

For a while it worked as the Crusaders came storming out of the dressing rooms to score two early tries.

Crusaders took the lead on six minutes when Damien Quinn set up Aled James, who kept up his try per game record for 2008, as he went over in the corner. Mark Lennon converted.

It was soon 12-0. Craig Potter lost the ball in the tackle on his own 40 metre line and Luke Dyer took full advantage picking up the ball and outsprinted his markers to the line. Lennon again had no problems with the extras.

Batley, who apparently often play better when running uphill, hit back five minutes later when following a good set of six Aaron Murphy set up Jermaine McGilvary to score. Kevin King’s conversion hit the top of the right hand post before sneaking over for the extra two.

And from a scrum just before the half-hour mark,  Paul Mennell dodged his way through with King kicking to level.

Crusaders regained the lead with a classic try. Strong runs from Ben Flower and Darren Mapp created the chance, Quinn offloaded to Duggan who made a typical break through the backline. However when being challenged by his opposite number Ian Preece he returned the ball to his stand-off who ran under the posts. Lennon’s conversion put the half-time score on 18-12.

The Welsh literally started the second half on the ascendancy. Dyer pressured for a second following good work from Ian Webster but a penalty was given for an infringement.

From that penalty, Bulldogs worked their way up the field and scored on the fifth tackle through Welsh international Byron Smith who, rugby union style, rucked his way under the sticks. King’s kick levelled the scores once again.

Crusaders could then consider themselves lucky not to be a try down. Substitute James Archibald broke through evading the challenges of David Tangata-

Toa and Paul Ballard. And while he reached the line, a try looked inevitable but, while under pressure from his two markers who hadn’t given up the chase, he dropped the ball.

Batley had further chances. Paul Mennell was stopped by Duggan when running through while Mark Dalle Cort, Chris Beasley and Darren Mapp were also solid in the backline, doing well to force the handover when the Bulldogs were pressing.

This was essential defending as it led to Crusaders’ next try with Lennon going over in the corner after good work from Dyer and Duggan.

But they levelled straight away. From a scrum on the Crusaders’ 20-metre line, the ball was worked out to the wing where King dived over. The centre converted his own try to give Batley the lead for the first time in the game.

They made it an eight-point gap from kick-off when Smith created a gap for Luke Stenchion who placed the ball under the posts. King kept up his 100$ kicking record.

Crusaders tried to get back into the game but couldn’t get past the Batley backline with Johnny Campbell doing well to catch Quinn’s bomb aimed for Dalle Cort.

Ballard also had a final chance to get his side back in the game but he was stopped short.

Crusaders’ boss John Dixon gave credit to the victors.

“Batley won the game because they were better than us,” he said. “We had a good first ten minutes and didn’t build on that and I was very disappointed with our performance today.”

BATLEY: Ian Preece, Jermaine McGilvary, Kevin King, Aaron Murphy, Johnny Campbell, Mark Barlow, Paul Mennell, Luke Stenchion, Kris Lythe, Craig Potter, Kevin Crouthers, Tim Spears, Mark Toohey. Subs: Ashley Lindsay, James Archibald, Byron Smith, Anthony Henderson.
Tries: McGilvary (15), Mennell (29), Smith (46), King (58), Stenchion (62)
Goals: King 5/5

CRUSADERS: Tony Duggan, Paul Ballard, Aled James, Mark Dalle Cort, Anthony Blackwood, Damien Quinn, Mark Lennon, Jordan James, Ian Webster, Philippe Gardent, Chris Beasley, Darren Mapp, Luke Dyer. Subs: Neil Budworth, Geraint Davies, Ben Flower, David Tangata-Toa.
Tries: A.James (6), Dyer (9), Quinn (35), Lennon (55)
Goals: Lennon 3/4

Referee: P.Carr (Castleford)

article by Ian Golden
28 July 2008