North Wales Crusaders produced their performance of the season yet to nil Doncaster on their own turf and pick up their seventh consecutive win, keeping their unbeaten start to the League 1 campaign intact.
While it’s likely not many teams will score 46 points at Doncaster this campaign, the zero next to the hosts’ name will no doubt please Anthony Murray more.
After Crusaders dominated the opening period to establish an impressive 28-0 half-time lead, the Dons asked plenty of questions early in the second-half as they looked for a way back into the match.
However, North Wales stood up well, bided their time and killed off the game for good in the closing stages to keep their spot at the top of the table.
The warning signs were there inside the opening couple of minutes as Matt Reid had a try chalked off in the left corner for an obstruction in the build-up.
But the game didn’t stay level for very long, with Ben Moores spotting a gap in the Doncaster defence to scoot over from acting half.
They soon built on their advantage as, after Reid went close once again, Crusaders shifted play to the right for Tommy Johnson to put Pat Ah Van over.
Reid did eventually get in on the act when a nice offload from Gav Rodden saw the centre break down the left to ground in the corner.
The visitors’ fourth came through Johnson, who profited from an error near the line to dot the ball down.
With half-time fast approaching and Doncaster still realistically in the match at 24-0, Crusaders added another as Rob Massam did well to collect Jordy Gibson’s high kick to the left corner and power his way over.
The away side knew the Dons would throw everything at them in the second-half, but they did brilliantly to hold out a sustained period of pressure on their line.
And Chris Barratt’s effort just past the hour mark gave North Wales an even more comfortable cushion, crashing over from close range.
At this point, Doncaster looked deflated and Crusaders managed to cross again to add insult to injury, with Jack Holmes hitting a brilliant line to finish next to the sticks.
And things were wrapped up on the full-time hooter as Rodden put Johnson through the line, before North Wales’ fullback returned the favour for the second rower to dive over underneath the sticks.
DONS
3 Ben Howe
2 Tom Halliday
4 Robbie Storey
1 Jack Sanderson
5 Travis Corion
6 Kobe Poching
7 Connor Robinson
8 Keelan Foster
9 Ross Whitmore
16 Ben Mathiou
11 Aaron Ollett-Hobson
12 Sam Smeaton
13 Dave Petersen
Subs (all used)
15 Ben Cockayne
10 Josef Fella
14 Loui McConnell
17 Jason Tali
CRUSADERS
1 Tommy Johnson
2 Pat Ah Van
22 Jack Holmes
4 Matt Reid
5 Rob Massam
6 Jordy Gibson
7 Brad Billsborough
8 Callum Hazzard
20 Ben Moores
10 Chris Barratt
11 Gav Rodden
12 Kieran Sherratt
13 Matt Fletcher
Subs (all used)
9 Callum Wood
15 Aaron Hall
16 Alex Eckley
21 Jack Houghton
Tries: Moores (5), Ah Van (13), Reid (19), Johnson (23), Massam (36), Barratt (64), Holmes (73), Rodden (79)
Goals: Johnson 7/8
Referee: James Vella
HT: 0-28
Attendance: 1,097
Crusaders MOTM: Chris Barratt – this was a faultless display from North Wales, but the prop gets the nod for an outstanding display in the forward pack, proving too much for the Dons to handle.
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