With thanks to Ben Proe from Sky and Andy Birchall

A weakened Celtic Crusaders side were hammered out in France by a rampant Catalans outfit who went one step further to securing a play-off berth.

John Dixon's side were up against it from the start. Already with nine injuries to first team players, Chris Beasley failed a late fitness test and the fit again Jason Chan replaced him.

Beasley joins Mark Dalle Cort, Paul Ballard, Jace Van Dijk, Aled James, Damien Quinn, Josh Hannay, Tony Duggan, Darren Mapp and Aled James on the injury list and Dixon will be grateful for a free weekend next week in order to get at least some of them fit again.

They will need to be. Last night’s game was Peter Lupton’s final turn out for the Crusaders this season.

“This will be my last game now,” Lupton told North West Evening Mail earlier in the day.

“I’ve got a torn patella tendon and I’m lined up for an operation hopefully next week. I did it against Harlequins and I have been playing with it for about six or seven weeks now.

“If I get it (the operation) now then I can have a full pre-season and be ready for next year. It’s either that or put it off and have the operation later, miss pre-season and start from scratch.”

With the wind in Catalans favour in the first half, Mark Bryant did well to stop an early chance for the home side as his crunching tackle forced Jason Crocker to drop the ball.

Crusaders had an early chance to take the lead. Matt Smith kicked a well placed grubber aiming for Lincoln Withers, but Clint Greenshields got to the ball first to save the day.

It didn’t take long for the Dragons to get on the board. Thomas Bosc, Greg Bird and Greenshields were involved in the build-up and Dimitri Pelo strolled over in the corner in the 10th minute to give the home side a 4-0 lead.

Bosc, who missed the kick, tried to latch onto his own grubber to increase Catalans' lead but Peter Lupton did well to get there first and force the goal-line drop-out.

They didn't waste the opportunity. From the restart Casey McGuire forced his way under the sticks and Bosc converted.

Crusaders had a few chances in the next 10 minutes but dropped balls and other careless errors meant that chances weren’t taken. Lupton came the closest and looked to have squeezed over for a try but was just short.

Crusaders' man of the match Steve Tyrer stopped a fine run from Steven Bell to save a certain Catalans try on 27 minutes but this only delayed the inevitable as the French took control in the final ten minutes of the first period.

Australian Clint Greenshields stamped his mark on the game with a try down the centre of the park after being released by Bosc, who kicked the goal himself.

Mark Lennon managed to save a try by picking up a Bell grubber, but once again it was a repeat set after another drop out was forced. Again the Dragons took advantage as from the restart, Greg Bird reached out to score Catalans’ fourth of the night. Bosc converted again.

Crusaders were close to scoring before the interval. Tyrer looked to have created a try for Anthony Blackwood but his pass was forward.

Lupton was penalised for holding down in the tackle just seconds from half-time and Catalans made them pay as Kane Bentley scored a try from the penalty just as the hooter sounded to give the Dragons a 26-0 lead.

The Crusaders’ second half performance was a little better but the wind had dropped at half-time so even that wasn’t in their favour.

It took 11 minutes for Dragons to score in the second half as Jason Croker ran through on the overlap for a try in the corner after being set up by Greenshields.

As Crusaders tired, the Dragons continued to press for a further score. Jean Philippe Baile had a try disallowed after he knocked on while being put under pressure by Luke Dyer.

The Welsh defence battled to keep out the rampaging French. Tyrer and Lennon both made try saving tackles before Steven Bell finally ran over from a scrum with four minutes remaining to complete the rout despite the efforts of the workhorse Tyrer who desperately attempted to stop him.

Crusaders under 18s lost a tough physical encounter 20-50 to a Catalans youth side. “We fronted up to them well,” said coach Andy Lindley. “I was proud of the commitment that our lads put in this evening.”

CATALANS DRAGONS
(1) Clint Greenshields
(3) Steven Bell
(12) Jason Croker
(15) Jean Philippe Baile
(5) Dimitri Pelo
(26) Greg Bird
(6) Thomas Bosc

(10) Jerome Guisset
(9) Casey McGuire
(23) Jason Ryles
(17) Cyril Gossard
(14) Dane Carlaw
(22) Jamal Fakir
SUBS
(24) Remi Casty
(13) Gregory Mounis
(27) Sebastien Martins
(20) Kane Bentley

Tries: Pelo (10), McGuire (16), Greenshields (29), Bird (34), Bentley (40), Croker (51),

Goals: Bosc 3/7

CELTIC CRUSADERS
Mark Lennon (18)
Luke Dyer (2)
Marshall Chalk (13)
Steve Tyrer (22)
Anthony Blackwood (5)
Lloyd White (28)
Matty Smith (14)
Ryan O'Hara (8)
Lincoln Withers (9)
Mark Bryant (10)
Jordan James (17)
Jason Chan (19)
Peter Lupton (15)
SUBS
David Tangata-Toa (20)
Neil Budworth (23)
Ben Flower (16)
Geraint Davies (25)
 

Back to 2009 Results

Next Report