Crusaders 10 Swinton 21 - Match Review

By Zippy
July 3 2006

Match review as the Celtic Crusaders lost a vital home game to Swinton Lions at the Brewery Field, Bridgend in tropical conditions. For details read on.

CELTIC CRUSADERS 10 SWINTON LIONS 21

By Ian Golden - http://www.sportingwales.com/artman/publish/article_8435.shtml

Messageboard discussion thread - http://www.sportnetwork.net/boards/read/s165.php?f=204&i=11652&t=11652&sid=165

Celtic Crusaders lost for the first time at home in the league this season on Sunday as they went down 10-21 after a hard fought match at the Brewery Field.

Crusaders put 50 points on Swinton in the last time they met and the Lions were determined not to let it happen again as they opened as the stronger team and kept up that presence throughout the game with Dave Newton, Marlon Billy and Lee Marsh especially shining.

The Crusaders were missing the influential Tony Duggan and Matt Jobson, the latter failing a late fitness test, and it showed as the side failed to show the sparkle that has delighted Brewery Field crowds all year. They also missed Shawn Van Rensburg’s strength in the centre of the field as the giant Welsh-qualified forward is still out with an ankle injury and is due to have another scan on it next week.

Crusaders got nearer to scoring first but Jace Van Dijk’s kick into the area was caught by Marlon Billy.

Swinton took a 2-0 lead in the seventh minute with a Lee Marsh penalty, given 20 metres from goal for holding down in the tackle.

Marsh scored again three minutes later, this time with a try, running in after a fine passing move. He converted his own try to put the score on 8-0.

Crusaders were denied a scoring chance moments later, as following some good work from Neil Dixon, a penalty was given against Hywel Davies for not playing the ball properly.

Swinton’s choice not to kick a penalty almost cost them dearly as they lost possession straight away leading to a strong Crusaders attack. However, despite, Michael Ryan and Neil Dixon’s valiant attempts, they couldn’t cross the line, Dave Alstead saving a certain try by kicking the ball into touch as Dixon was diving for it.

Crusaders kept attacking. Van Dijk kicked a 40-20 which led to another attack but his kick on the fifth tackle was once again picked up by the impressive Billy.

Their offensive play was finally rewarded in the 37th minute. Following a scrum awarded to the Crusaders on their 10 metre line, Luke Young ran over underneath the sticks. Quinn converted to bring the difference back 6-8 at half-time.

Swinton increased their lead on 44 minutes. Andy Saywell’s 80 metre run was halted by Quinn but from the next tackle, Martin Moana scored a try in the corner and straight from kick-off, Saywell ran through for another. Marsh converted both.

Swinton were let off the hook on more than one occasion in the second half. The Crusaders attack failed to recognise that the tackle count had been brought back to zero following a deflection on Carl de Chenu’s kick. Because of this, a grubber was kicked and possession was lost. Following this, a Quinn try was ruled out for a forward pass and de Chenu knocked on after being challenged as he ran for the line.

Dave Newton was sinbinned for holding down in the tackle but Crusaders failed to take advantage of the extra man straight away.

Richard Johnson missed a vital scoring chance with 11 minutes remaining, running 30 metres to the line but lost control of the ball on the whitewash as Wayne English challenged him. This led to an eruption on the field with Van Dijk and Moana both sinbinned for fighting reducing the numbers to 12 v 11 for the next eight minutes.

Marsh kicked a field goal on 69 minutes to give Swinton a 15 point advantage and regain possession.

But it was the Crusaders who had the final say with Dixon diving over in the corner.

Crusaders coach John Dixon said: “We tried really hard and defended fairly well apart from on a couple of occasions. We didn’t convert chances into points though - we didn’t use the ball enough and we needed to be a little more determined.”

CELTIC CRUSADERS

1.Richard Johnson
2.Carl de Chenu
3.Neil Dixon
4.Damien Quinn
5.Paul Morgan
6.Luke Young
7.Jace Van Dijk
8.Hywel Davies
9.Michael Ryan
10.Phil Cushion
11.Ryan Barton
12.Aled James
13.Dean Fitzgerald
Subs :
14.Gareth Dean
15.Geraint Davies
16.Lee Jones
17.Dean Scully

Tries: Young (37), Dixon (75)
Goals: Quinn 1/2
Sinbinned: Van Dijk (68, fighting)

SWINTON LIONS

1 Wayne English
2 Andy Saywell
3 David Alstead
4 Mike Stout
5 Marlon Billy
6 Martin Moana
7 Liam McGovern
8 Danny Aboushakra
9 Phil Wood
10 Bruce Johnson
11 Dave Newton
12 Richard Marshall
13 Lee Marsh
Subs :
14 Dean Rhodes
15 Safraz Patel
16 Steve McCurrie
17 Ian Parry

Tries: Marsh (10), Moana (44), Saywell (47)
Goals: Marsh 4/4
Fieldgoal: Marsh
Sinbinned: Newton (66, Holding down in the tackle), Moana (68, fighting)

Referee: Paul Carr (Castleford)
Half-time: 6-8
Penalty Count: 11-10
Men of the Match: Crusaders – Young, Lions - Marsh
Attendance: 1,059

Gamestar: Lee Marsh who scored 13 of the Lions’ 21 points to lead them to victory.

Gamebreaker: Two tries for the Lions in the space of three second half minutes opened a gap that Crusaders couldn’t close.

Scoring Sequence: 0-2, 0-8, 6-8, 6-14, 6-20, 6-21, 10-21

Weather: Hot and sticky
Match Rating: 3/5

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
1	Dewsbury	13	11	0	2	434	207	22
2	Sheffield	13	9	0	4	431	282	18
3	Swinton	13	9	0	4	401	293	18
4	Celtic Crusaders	13	8	1	4	472	251	17
5	Featherstone	13	8	1	4	356	327	17
6	Gateshead	13	8	0	5	353	276	16
7	Barrow	13	7	0	6	321	297	14
8	Workington	12	5	0	7	284	380	10
9	Hunslet	13	4	1	8	247	320	9
10	Keighley	13	2	1	10	266	407	5
11	Blackpool	13	2	1	10	208	465	5
12	London Skolars	12	1	1	10	200	468	3