Union: Ribb feel derby day heat

The visiting forwards were as usual much heavier and taller than the Crusaders' eight. This was evident at the first scrum when the Keighley front row was disrupted by the much heavier three from the dales. The lighter pack soon acclimatised to hot weather and started to run the ball away from this heavier pack, and it look as if the Crusaders could keep up this type of play they would eventually wear the opposition down. A good break down the left saw Andrew Emmott stopped short. He regained is forward momentum but was judged to have gone over the touchline, and the try was disallowed. The Crusaders' backs continued to cause problems for Ribblesdale and the first try came when Andy Hoppe joined the attack from full back to create space for Andrew Emmott to use his pace to cross for a well worked try. Duncan Grant converted the try with some ease. It looked as if the Crusaders would now cut loose and score many more points, but the Dalesmen tightened their defence, and managed to kill the movement of the ball away from the rucks and mauls, so stifling any further scores by the Crusaders in the first half.

The second half saw the Crusaders on the attack immediately and from a lineout in the Ribblesdale 22 metre are Ieuan Morgan came away with the ball breaking through a tackle his pace was then too much for the opposition for him to cross under the posts for a try. Duncan Grant added the two extra points. Ian Woodwiss at the scrumhalf position now was starting to probe and prompt the forwards to run on to his short passes, and some strong runs by Richard Leech and Jack McPhail saw the Crusaders make headway back into the Ribblesdale half. The second try of this half came when Rick Emmott broke from within his own half to race away for fifty metres to score under the posts. Again Grant converted the try. From the kick off the ball went to the now weary Emmott who rather than running in the free space he put in a touch finding kick 40 metres down the field. The Crusaders had now do some defending when from a series of penalties Ribblesdale through caution to the wind and decided to run the ball at every opportunity but some good tackling by Leigh Sugden, Duncan Walsh and Evan Griffin stopped the visitors from getting near the Keighley try line. Rick Emmott again was the catalyst for the final Crusaders' try. When his strength of running took him through the opposition; as he approached the fullback he passed the ball to Chris Watts on the right wing who still had some work to do to cross in the corner before going round under the posts, thus allowing Grant his fourth conversion. This was the final score of the game, and though the Crusaders were pleased with their win they knew that the score should have been greater, but at least the team is back into the winning way.