Widnes 32 Crusaders 10 -Match Review

By Ian Golden
March 27 2007

Celtic Crusaders went down to a 32-10 defeat to Co-operative National League One title favourites Widnes Vikings in a hard-fought encounter on Sunday, as the Welsh side’s five match winning streak came to an end.

WIDNES VIKINGS 32 CELTIC CRUSADERS 10

By Ian Golden - http://www.crusadersrl.com

Celtic Crusaders went down to a 32-10 defeat to Co-operative National League One title favourites Widnes Vikings in a hard-fought encounter on Sunday, as the Welsh side’s five match winning streak came to an end.

The Crusaders were leading 10-8 at half-time but four tries in the second half without reply gave the favourites a flattering win.

But the Crusaders were not disgraced and will go into their Carnegie Challenge Cup match at Rochdale Hornets next weekend with their heads held high. They will be in a positive mood after finishing their Northern Rail Cup group in second place with four wins out of six including a double over another former Super League side Leigh Centurions.

Both sides had early chances. Daryl Cardiss’ pass was intercepted as Widnes were getting close to the line while following a fine Crusaders’ passing move, Grant Epton was unlucky not to score after being pushed into touch by Gavin Dodd while diving for the line.

Crusaders took a well-deserved lead on nine minutes following intense pressure from the Welsh side. Jace Van Dijk made another of his darting runs setting up Tony Duggan who dived over.

The Vikings thought they’d equalised on the quarter hour. Bob Beswick set up Welsh international Jordan James who grounded but Beswick’s pass was adjudged to have been forward.

But the former world champions finally managed to level things on 25 minutes – Oliver Wilkes laying off a fine pass to substitute Adam Bowman who grounded in the corner.

The Crusaders regained the lead on 33 minutes with an excellent individual Duggan try who ran through the Widnes defence like butter from dummy half to score under the sticks. Damien Quinn kicked the first successful conversion of the day to put the score on 10-4.

Rob Draper weaved his way through for try back for Widnes just before half-time but Gavin Dodd missed his second kick of the day and the Crusaders went into the break with a narrow two-point lead.

But the Vikings did enough to win the match in the first 20 minutes of the second half, scoring three unanswered tries as their National League One status shone through.

They could have scored seconds after the interval. Wilkes barged his way through the Crusaders back-line but was stopped in his tracks by Neil Budworth and Jamie I’Anson.

But they took the lead for the first time in the game after 47 minutes after Scott Grix squeezed his way through the Crusaders back-line and Gavin Dodd kicked the simple conversion.

Grix, who scored a hat-trick of tries in the clubs’ previous meeting added another six minutes later with Dodd converting again to open up a ten-point gap.

It was 26-10 less than five minutes later. Paul Noone exposed a gap in the Crusaders defence setting up Daryl Cardiss who ran home. Dodd added the tricky extras.

The remainder of the game was an even tight-fought affair with the defences ruling and neither side able to break through.

That was until three minutes from the end as Grix completed his second hat-trick against the Crusaders for Jonathan Davies’ former club.

Despite losing out on the day, the Crusaders’ performance was a lot better than in their home match with the Vikings and John Dixon can now take those positives into next week’s Carnegie Challenge Cup match up at Rochdale Hornets.

“The best side won today,” said Dixon. “I think that both sides played good attacking rugby league and it was a quality game. Widnes scored four really good tries in the second half but in the first half we deserved our lead. We just ran out of gas a bit today.”

Widnes Vikings: Scott Grix, Damien Blanch, Andy Kirk, Daryl Cardiss, Gavin Dodd, Andy Kain, Ian Webster, Jordan James, Bob Beswick, Oliver Wilkes, Lee Doran, Rob Draper, Paul Noone. Subs: Dean Gaskill, Adam Sidlow, Adam Bowman, Mike Morrison.

Tries: Bowman (25), Draper (39), Grix (47, 53, 77), Cardiss (57)
Goals: Dodd 4/6

Celtic Crusaders: Tony Duggan, Grant Epton, Damien Quinn, Mark Dalle Cort, Richard Johnston, Luke Young, Jace Van Dijk, Josh Cale, Neil Budworth, Gareth Dean, Terry Martin, Dean Fitzgerald, Darren Mapp. Subs: Paul Ballard, Jamie I’Anson, Phil Cushion, Hywel Davies.

Tries: Duggan (9, 33)
Goals: Quinn 1/2

Half-time: 8-10