Crusaders 68 Blackpool 0

By Ian Golden
April 9 2007

Match review from the 2nd game in the Co-operative National League Two which the Celtic Crusaders won 68 - 0 against the Blackpool Panthers at the Brewery Field.

CELTIC CRUSADERS 68 BLACKPOOL PANTHERS 0

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

A crowd of 2,805 saw Celtic Crusaders ease to a 68-0 win over Blackpool Panthers giving them two wins out of two on Easter weekend and stamp their authority on the Co-operative National League Two.

The home side took the lead in under 90 seconds when Rob Toshack finished off a fine passing move by grounding in the corner.

Craig Richards had a half-chance to get another try on the board after good work from Damien Quinn and Mark Dalle Cort but he couldn’t quite weave his way through the Blackpool defence.

Blackpool started to show some of the same determination that pushed them so close to win against Swinton. It took a try saving tackle from Dalle Cort and Young on Chris Brand to stop them getting back into the game.

But the Crusaders stamped their authority on the game with three quick tries. First on 19 minutes, Tony Duggan fed Jace Van Dijk to run through the middle. Two minutes later, Luke Young fed Neil Budworth who also ran in unchallenged, while Dalle Cort showed an amazing burst of speed and ran 70 metres for a try on 25 minutes. Damien Quinn converted all three.

Craig Richards added a superb individual try on the half hour with Quinn’s successful conversion going in off the post to put the Crusaders 28-0 up at the interval.

Richards thought he’d added a second after only two first half minutes but Dalle Cort’s pass to him was forward.

So it was Richard Johnston who scored the first Crusaders try of the half, grounding in the corner on 46 minutes.

Richards finally went over again on 51 minutes with a fine individual run straight after Tony Duggan had a try disallowed for a forward pass. Quinn converted.

Johnston ran in with his second on 53 minutes before Richards completed his hat-trick two minutes later. Quinn added the extras from in front of the post on both occasions

Toshack barged through the middle for his second on 66 minutes with Quinn converting.

Quinn added to his goal tally on 71 minutes when he weaved through the defence for a try of his own, converting it himself.

Three minutes later, Richards added his fourth, running 50 metres to score under the sticks with Quinn kicking his tenth goal of the afternoon to wrap up an excellent 68-0 win.

Crusaders’ Operations Manager Gerald McCarthy said: “I’m glad we put on such a fantastic show for the crowd. We played some superb rugby, the bar ran out of Bulmers cider and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”

CRUSADERS
Tony Duggan
Richard Johnston
Rob Toshack
Mark Dalle Cort
Craig Richards
Luke Young
Jace Van Dijk
Phil Cushion
Neil Budworth
Hywel Davies
Terry Martin
Dean Fitzgerald
Damien Quinn
Subs (all used)
Andy Boothroyd
Jamie I’Anson
Chris Beasley
Lee Jones

Tries: Toshack (1, 66), Van Dijk (19), Budworth (21), Dalle Cort (25), Richards (30, 51, 55, 73), Johnston (46, 53), Quinn (71)
Goals: Quinn 10/12

PANTHERS
Mark Leigh
Chris Brand
Steve Brown
Chris Maye
Jon Chamberlain
Deon Duell
Martin Gambles
Lee Rowley
Phil Cantillon
Gareth Jones
Luke Murfin
Kris Ratcliffe
Chris Ramsdale
Subs (all used)
Matt Strong
Eddie Kilgallon
Danny Barton
Ian Parry

Referee: Michael Dawber (Wigan)
Half-time: 28-0
Penalty Count: 7-7
Men of the Match: Crusaders – Richards, Panthers - Chamberlain
Attendance: 2,805
Scoring Sequence: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 28-0, 32-0, 38-0, 44-0, 50-0, 56-0, 62-0, 68-0
Gamebreaker: Jace Van Dijk’s 19th minute try let the floodgates open.
Gamestar: With four tries and another disallowed Craig Richards was the best of an excellent bunch.
Match Rating: 3/5
Weather: A pleasant sunny afternoon.