CELTIC CRUSADERS 84 HUNSLET HAWKS 10

By Ian Golden at Brewery Field - http://www.crusadersrl.com

Celtic Crusaders secured a club record eighth win in a row with a club record score, in the first of three successive home games at the Brewery Field on Saturday evening.

Their 84-10 hammering of Hunslet Hawks sets them up nicely for another clash with a Yorkshire side, when they host Keighley Cougars at the Brewery Field next Saturday in a match that will be screened live on S4C.

And if the Crusaders play like this against the Cougars next week, then the S4C viewers will be in for a treat. The Welsh side dominated from the start and ended up running in 15 tries to beat their 82-point haul against Swinton Lions earlier this season.

While Crusaders fans are celebrating and knowing that they could be just four games away from the Co-operative National League Two championship, the faithful Hunslet fans know that they are supporting a club in crisis.

Their side, who gave a welcome debut to 16-year old Joey Walkin, younger brother of Ben, broke a record of their own - the most points they have ever conceded in a match, beating their 82-0 Challenge Cup defeat against Bradford Bulls four years ago - and slipped out the play-off places following London Skolars’ win at home to Gateshead.

Crusaders took the lead under two minutes when Paul Ballard pounced on a grubber kick for his 21st try of the season.

Mark Dalle Cort out-jumped Mark Cunningham six minutes later to catch the ball and ground Crusaders’ second of the night. Van Dijk converted.

It was 14-0 two minutes later when Tony Duggan ran in for a third, his 31st of the season, while Damien Quinn leaped in under the posts for Crusaders’ fourth try on 13 minutes and Van Dijk once again had no problem with the extras after both tries.

Crusaders weren’t letting up. Grant Epton ran half the length of the field to score under the posts and Van Dijk kicked his fourth of the evening.

Ballard followed that up with his second try of the evening straight from kick-off.

Mark Moxon finally got the Hawks on the board as he slid in for a 25th minute try but Crusaders restored the balance on the half hour when, following a penalty, Rob Toshack scored in the corner.

Quinn thought he’d got his second from kick-off after excellent groundwork from Neil Budworth, but he was judged to have been held up over the line.

But Jamie I’Anson stormed through for Crusaders’ eighth try on 34 minutes which Van Dijk duly converted to make the half-time score 44-4.

Hawks opened the scoring in the second half when Caldon Bravo ran in and Darren Robinson converted.

But they couldn’t capitalise on that and instead it was the Crusaders who ran riot.

A Quinn try of 53 minutes was converted by Van Dijk to bring up the 50.

Luke Young ran over his side’s tenth try straight from kick-off while Duggan did likewise three minutes later. Van Dijk converted both. Paul Ballard ran over for his hat-trick two minutes after that but had a further try ruled for a forward pass.

Mark Dalle Cort scored his second of the night on 65 minutes with Van Dijk converting to put the score on 72-10.

Man of the match Darren Mapp capped an excellent performance as he ran over seven minutes later, while Duggan followed that up by running in for his hat-trick. Quinn converted both to give Crusaders their record points haul.

Happy Crusaders coach John Dixon said: “That was a good performance from us today. After four weeks on the road, it’s great to be back at home in front of a positive crowd. It was really exciting stuff, we were good with the ball, we showed good strength, good speed and wonderful skill and we did a good job defending those points as well. We maintained our effort for the full 80 minutes and scored some wonderful tries so it was a good day all round for the Crusaders and we hope to keep it up next Saturday at the Brewery Field against Keighley.”

CELTIC CRUSADERS

1. Tony Duggan
2. Paul Ballard
3. Rob Toshack
4. Mark Dalle Cort
5. Grant Epton
6. Damien Quinn
7. Jace Van Dijk
8. Phil Cushion
9. Neil Budworth
10. Gareth Dean
11. Neale Wyatt
12. Darren Mapp
13. Terry Martin
Subs:
14. Luke Young
15. Jamie I’Anson
16. Hywel Davies
17. Aurélien Cologni

Tries: Ballard (2, 19, 60), Dalle Cort (8, 65), Duggan (10, 58, 78), Quinn (13, 53), Epton (17), Toshack (30), I’Anson (34), Young (56), Mapp (72)
Goals: Van Dijk 10/13, Quinn 2/2

HUNSLET HAWKS

1. Matt Bramald
2. Mark Cunningham
3. Craig Bower
4. Caldon Bravo
5. Steve Morton
6. Mark Moxon
7. Matty Firth
8. Danny Cook
9. Jonny Wainhouse
10. Wayne Freeman
11. Ben Walkin
12. Andrew Robinson
13. Gareth Greenwood
Subs:
14. Darren Robinson
15. Joey Walkin
16. Glen Pennington
17. Paul Seal

Tries: Moxon (25), Bravo (46)
Goals: D.Robinson 1/2

Scoring Sequence: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 28-0, 34-0, 34-4, 38-4, 44-4, 44-10, 50-10, 56-10, 62-10, 66-10, 72-10, 78-10, 84-10
Half-time: 44-4
Referee: Mike Dawber (Wigan)
Attendance: 795
Penalties: 4-4
Men of the Match: Crusaders: Darren Mapp, Hawks: Mark Moxon

Gamebreaker: The kick-off. Hunslet were outclassed from the start.
Gamestar: Very hard to pick in a classy performance by all, but Darren Mapp was powerful in the forward line and was rewarded with a try.

Match Rating: 3/5
Weather: Hot and sunny

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