Harwich 17 v Crusaders 6

Harwich 17 v Crusaders 6

Crusaders travelled to Harwich hoping to add to last week's victory over Broadland. With captain Lewis White, Peter Blinkhorn and James Loone unavailable to travel, Rob Loone took over the captaincy. Crusaders with a gale force wind at their backs started well but struggled to turn pressure into points. Against the run of play it was Harwich who took the lead benefiting from a knock on not seen by referee, the conversion in front of the posts was successful. Crusaders reduced the lead with a Triston Smith penalty but a lapse in defense failed to spot an inside runner who had a clear run in under the posts for Harwich to score their second try. A Robert Loone penalty gave the visitors some hope before half time.

With increasing wind & rain in the second half the Crusaders forwards drove up the pitch with Henry, Stuart & Cameron making powerful runs. Harwich defended stoutly if not sometimes illegally, with the referee losing patience. Harwich had 2 players sin-binned within 10 minutes of each other. Excellent wing play by James Garner came close to breaching the Harwich defence but the home side sealed the game with a penalty when after a front row altercation, the visitors front row back chatted to the referee.