Halifax vs North Wales Crusaders - match report

Halifax leapfrogged Featherstone Rovers to climb into second spot after narrowly defeating North Wales Crusaders 20 – 17.

Gareth Potts scored the match winning try five minutes from time to continue Fax’s impressive unbeaten record, and to heat up the race even more for second place. Potts also pulled off a try saving tackle towards the end of the first half.

The visitors went into the dressing rooms 16 – 6 down, Steve Tyrer grabbing the try to keep his side within ten points.

Callum Casey, Luke Ambler, and Potts crossed in the second half which was enough to snare the two points from the Welsh outfit.

Fax lost winger, Tommy Saxton for ten minutes, after he took out a Crusaders man off the ball.

It was the hosts who got the scoreboard rolling inside the first minute, Halifax’s kick off landing out of play, which gifted North Wales some good field position. Greg Wilde crossed down the right side.

The Crusaders continued to make Fax work hard defensively, and had plenty of ball inside the opening ten minutes. Christian Roets used his strength to get the ball down, Tommy Johnson with the conversion.

Fax managed to deny the Crusaders from increasing their try tally, and went on to reduce the deficit to four points when Tyrer snaked his arm out to plant the ball down.

The hosts managed to find themselves in good territory again from another Fax error. Former Halifax player, Karl Ashall, burrowed over from close range to make it 16 – 6.

The Crusaders could have easily landed a killer blow just before the interval had it not been for a superb tackle from Potts in the left corner.

The opening 15 minutes of the second 40 saw unforced errors from both sides, and on 55 minutes, Fax got themselves, again, six points behind when Callum Casey touched down.

With an hour gone on the clock, the scores were tied up, Ben Johnston skirted across the pitch to send free-scoring Luke Ambler in under the posts. Tyrer added the extras from in-front.

Just when it looked like Karl Harrison’s side were getting a stranglehold of the game, Tommy Saxton was sin binned for taking a man out off the ball. Johnson elected to go for the two, but failed to land the kick between the posts.

Crusaders half-back, Jamie Dallimore, showed Johnson how to convert a kicking opportunity, when his drop goal sailed over to give the home side a slender one point lead.

However, Daillmore’s one pointer wasn’t to be the match winner. The Crusaders spilled the ball, Casey using the advantage of the free play rule by dribbling a kick through, and Potts pounced on the ball to seal the points and to set up a thriller at The Shay next weekend.