Crusaders 24-0 Fakenham

As ‘Big’ Tim Zielinski crossed the line for Crusaders’ fourth try it was a job well done in this 2016/17 Norfolk Plate Final. In a match which would define a season that had already seen Crusaders promoted; this win over tough opponents was a classic example of the leaps forward the Team (and Club) has taken under new coach Phil O’Brien. Whilst not the emphatic win the team was hoping for, keeping a zero under intense pressure was testament to the team’ s grit and determination to walk off every pitch with no quarter given.
The game from the very off was more jolty than some of the fluid running rugby we’ve come to expect from this Crusaders team, with passes not only dropped but going amiss, then in the 22nd minute a good scrum from Crusaders on the 22 metre line of Fakenham Rob Loone crossed the whitewash slotting home the resulting conversion himself. Then came a moment that was to underline the game, which saw 4 yellow cards, the involvement of the officials; neither side had played under a team-of-three scrutiny previously and the intervention of the TJ proved costly to both sides. 30 minutes in Henry Joy was yellow carded for ‘foul play’; the foul play in question being to swipe the arm of a player who was holding him. In what became the longest first half Crusaders have played this season, Fakenham had a player yellow carded on 37 minutes, again on the advice of the TJ and we played long enough for him to return!
The half-time team talk, delivered by Captain Lewi White, was reminiscent of Henry Vth at Agincourt, calling for blood, sweat and tears to be shed to bring home the silverware, and like King Hal, his troops rallied to the call.
The second half Fakenham came out of the blocks fast, but Crusaders it seemed had another 2 gears, it took a Henry Mower trademark blasting run, backed up by uncle Pete and Rob Dye to seize the momentum and all of a sudden Crusaders were back in the races. Head injury to Greg Thurston saw his game end early. However, in a season filled with injuries Crusaders have proven resilient and this big day was no exception, with Ryan Harris in between injury (which kept him off the field for 10 minutes) running the show from fly-half the second half came alive. Rob Dye crossed over in the 60th minute as did Alex Widdrington in the 70th, with both conversions missed the score with 10 minutes to go was 17-0.
Fakenham suffered to more introductions to the Referee’s business card, and all in all played 30 minutes with 14 men. Discipline was key to this result, and Crusaders held fast.
Then late into the game came a backs move that symbolised Crusaders at their best, raw power, team-work and a never say die attitude, as Big Tim crossed, we the supporters of Crusaders genuinely believed that there was not a single team we have played this season that could have stopped him. From 10 metres standing still he’s tough to stop, but with 78 minutes on the clock Tim had three things on his side, desire, rage (from a kick in the head) and sadly for Fakenham’s defence a 10 metre run-up. We heard the collision from the side lines, I’m pretty sure the primeval roar he let out was heard in Cromer!
Well Done Crusaders on a well fought and deserved win.