Following their heroics on Good Friday after superbly beating Dewsbury in their opening National League One game of the season, Celtic Crusaders were unable to make it two wins in a row on Easter weekend as they were beaten 24-6 by a strong Sheffield Eagles line-up to lose away from home for the first time since June 17th 2007.

The Crusaders must now pick themselves up for their home match against Halifax on Saturday evening at the Brewery Field (kick-off 5.30pm).

The Crusaders had their chances to take the game, they had more sets of six than the home side, but it was the strength of the Eagles back-line coupled with a few Crusaders handling errors, that gave them the points.

Crusaders attacked from the off and were unlucky not to score on a couple of early occasions with both Tony Duggan and Mark Dalle Cort being denied tries when close to the line.

But it was Eagles who took an unexpected lead from a breakaway. Brendon Lindsay and James Ford combined to set up Danny Mills who went over in the corner.

The lead was extended just before the quarter hour when Jonny Woodcock set up Jack Howieson to go over. Woodcock’s easy kick made the score 10-0.

There would have been a third try on 26 minutes but Duggan did well to push Ford into touch as he was diving for the line.

Crusaders opened their account on 33 minutes. Damien Quinn created the gap and set up Paul Ballard who out-ran every Eagles player over 40 metres to score under the posts. Mark Lennon converted.

But Eagles struck back straight away after Mitch Stringer forced his way over and Woodcock converted to give the home side a 10-point half-time lead despite a spirited Crusaders attack on the hooter to attempt to get another try back.

Crusaders through their all into trying to score but were again denied on a number of occasions. Duggan was close to the line but the referee failed to blow up when he was allegedly obstructed while chasing a grubber.

Van Dijk and Quinn combined for a possible try but Quinn was held up over the line while Dalle Cort was just a couple of metres away from a try on the next

play but was blocked by the strong Eagles backline.

Ian Webster was also controversially denied a try as was judged to have been offside after doing well to catch a bobbling grubber kick to ground while Rob Worrincy did well to intercept a floating Van Dijk pass which a couple of Crusaders players were ready to receive and score.

Crusaders’ mission to get back into the game was hindered on 57 minutes when Josh Hannay was sinbinned for backchatting after Eagles were given a penalty for holding down in the tackle. Woodcock’s kick gave the home side a two-try cushion.

Despite being a man down, Crusaders kept attacking. Terry Martin knocked on while under pressure as he was 10 metres from the line and Jordan James did similar when he was close to scoring following a quick-tap penalty.

Dalle Cort was denied yet again after catching a Van Dijk grubber, the centre being held up on the line as he attempted to ground.

But it was the Eagles who sealed the game from the next set. Lindsay set up the try from acting half-back and Craig Cook ran through. Woodcock converted.

A Dominic Brambani drop-goal completed the scoring.

Crusaders’ coach John Dixon said: “Sheffield were terrific today. It’s our third meeting of the year against them having already beaten them twice and today they showed a lot of improvement. They out-defended us as we had a lot of opportunities to score tries and I though their defensive effort was worthy of a lot of praise. We asked a lot of questions of them and to their credit they answered them all.”

Sheffield Eagles: Jonny Woodcock, Danny Mills, James Ford, Mike Roby, Rob Worrincy, Brendon Lindsay, Dominic Brambini, Jack Howieson, Craig Cook, Ryan Hepworth, Craig Brown, Tommy Traynor, Adam Hayes. Subs: Dane McDonald, Ged Corcoran, Tom Buckenham, Mitch Stringer.
Tries: Mills (7), Howieson (14), Stringer (36), Cook (72)
Goals: Woodcock 3/4
Field-goal: Brambani

Celtic Crusaders: Tony Duggan, Paul Ballard, Josh Hannay, Mark Dalle Cort, Mark Lennon, Ian Webster, Jace Van Dijk, Jordan James, Neil Budworth, David Tangata-Toa, Chris Beasley, Terry Martin, Damien Quinn, Subs: Anthony Blackwood, Aaron Summers, Jamie I’Anson, Gareth Dean.
Tries: Ballard (33)
Goals: Lennon 1/1

Referee: Robert Hicks (Oldham)
Half-time: 16-6

article by Ian Golden
25 March 2008