photo by RLPhotos.com

Celtic Crusaders suffered their first league defeat in two months on Sunday as they fell 42-30 at the Chris Moyles Stadium to a well-organised and enthusiastic Featherstone Rovers side.

However they came away from Yorkshire with a bonus point for their efforts thanks to Luke Dyer’s 70th minute consolation try.

Crusaders’ injury crisis affected them with Jace Van Dijk, Terry Martin, Neale Wyatt and Josh Hannay all still on the sidelines. And with Aled James also unavailable, Crusaders’ coach John Dixon was forced to move Aaron Summers into an unfamiliar loose forward position.

Phil Gardent was also a rare selection for the Crusaders following some fine performances in the Colts side. He opened the game as prop while Welsh international Gareth Dean started from the bench after four weeks on the sidelines through injury.

Rovers had an early try Andy Kirk try disallowed while a Tommy Haughey forward pass also wasted a scoring opportunity for the home side.

Crusaders could have also scored in the first ten minutes but Damien Quinn’s kick was too high for Mark Dalle Cort to catch cleanly.

Rovers’ attacking soon paid off and right on the tenth minute mark they took the lead as Haughey dived over in the corner. Stuart Dickens converted.

Luke Dyer thought he’d had a try back for the Crusaders moments later but referee Jamie Leahy judged that he was held up over the line.

Rovers recovered from their good fortune and went straight up the field and scored a second try in a classic move that was started, finished and converted by Dickens with Richard Blakeway, Andy Kain, Sean Hesketh and Tommy Haughey all involved in the passing move.

Dickens added a penalty five minutes later given for a high tackle before Haughey slipped through the Crusaders’ defence to notch his second.

Crusaders first crossed the line on 29 minutes through who else but top try scorer Tony Duggan. Fed by Anthony Blackwood he ran half the length of the field to ground under the sticks. Mark Lennon converted.

The Welsh side then got into their stride as Lennon tore the Rovers defence apart creating a gap for Duggan to run through for his second of the game, 16th of the season and 93rd in total for the club to reduce the deficit to eight points at the interval.

Rovers opened the second half with a try

in the first minute after Jamie Field put James Houston through to score under the sticks. Andy Kain kicked the conversion.

But Crusaders hit back with three tries in less than ten minutes.

First Chris Beasley was held short of the line and from the next play David Tangata-Toa stormed over. Lennon converted.

Damien Quinn followed him over five minutes later after using his strength to break away from four Rovers players who were trying to tackle him. Lennon’s kick brought Crusaders to within two points.

There could have been another try straight away. Luke Dyer kicked a hopeful grubber but Andy Kain was first to the ball.

And from the next set following the goal-line drop-out, Duggan set up Paul Ballard to run over to give the Crusaders the advantage for the first time in the game.

Rovers regained the lead on 58 minutes when Waine Price ran through for his 100th professional try in rugby league with Dickens converting.

Tony Tonks dived over four minutes later with Dickens’ kick giving them a ten-point lead and they sealed the game on 66 minutes when Haughey completed his hat-trick after another fine move. Dickens converted again.

Crusaders still had hope. Luke Dyer intercepted Andy Kirk’s pass on the ten metre line and ran 90 to score. Lennon missed the kick so they were still two tries away from levelling.

Ben Flower was denied a try with minutes to go due a double movement.

Crusaders coach John Dixon refused to blame his side’s injury crisis for the defeat.

“We should have won the game when were two-points up,” he said. “We fought back well and we were in a winning position and should have built on that but we didn’t, we gave away too many penalties and lost possession. Credit to Featherstone, they did well to win the game.”

Featherstone Rovers: Loz Wildbore, Waine Price, Tommy Saxton, Steve Dooler, Andy Kirk, Andy Kain, Tommy Haughey, Tony Tonks, Joe McLocklan, Stuart Dickens, Jamie Field, Richard Blakeway, Sean Hesketh. Subs: Jack Lee, Joe Hirst, James Houston, Nathan Massey.
Tries: Haughey (10, 25, 66), Dickens (16), Houston (41). Price (58), Tonks (62)
Goals: Dickens 6/7, Kain 1/1

Celtic Crusaders: Tony Duggan, Paul Ballard, Luke Dyer, Mark Dalle Cort, Anthony Blackwood, Damien Quinn, Mark Lennon, Jordan James, Neil Budworth, Philippe Gardent, Chris Beasley, Darren Mapp, Aaron Summers. Subs: Ian Webster, Gareth Dean, Ben Flower, David Tangata-Toa.
Tries: Duggan (29, 34), Tangata-Toa (45), Quinn (50), Ballard (53), Dyer (70)
Goals: Lennon 3/6

Referee: Jamie Leahy (Dewsbury)
Attendance: 1,292

article by Ian Golden
13 July 2008