MATCH REPORT: HURRICANES 16 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 46
George Collins sets a Hurricanes attack in motion. Pic: Craig Cathcart.
MIDLANDS HURRICANES 16 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 46
DAVE MUSSON, Portway, Saturday 9 July 2022
MIDLANDS HURRICANES head coach Rich Squires said his side have some points to prove over the remainder of the season, as his return from a two-month ban was marked with a tough defeat against high-flying North Wales Crusaders.
The injury-ravaged Hurricanes lacked their usual zip and vigour that has rattled so many of their opponents this year, and simply melted away in the scorching Saturday evening sunshine – despite a fantastic two-try return from injury by Liam Welham, and a score from Nathan Newbound.
Two tries apiece from Rob Massam and Jack Houghton, plus further scores from Alexander Eckley, Tom Johnson, Matt Reid, and Chris Barratt secured sweaty back-to-back wins for the Crusaders, who moved into second place in the table as a result.
Squires said: “We’re down to the bare bones at the minute - Liam Welham had to have his finger reconstructed six weeks ago and he’s back out today. We’re having to do it tough at the minute, but I think everybody is.
“Hopefully we can get some recruits in this week, move forwards and finish the season how we want to. We’ve got some points to prove before the end of the year.
“It’s nice to be back - obviously it was a disappointing result and it’s been a tough couple of months for the club, but it’s nice to be back to a bit of normality.”
Chris Cullimore on the attack. Pic: Craig Cathcart.
After an even opening few minutes, it was the visitors who scored first with a sluggish try; Patrick Ah Van’s floated kick on the final tackle didn’t look threatening, but the Hurricanes defenders let it bounce, dawdled some more, and Eckley pounced to touch down.
Ten minutes later, it was the Hurricanes who benefitted from some hesitant defence to score – Ben Stead’s lofted, whirling kick bounced off the hard ground right into Liam Welham’s hands, and the captain finished well. It was a try that should have prompted the hosts to kick on, but ended up being as close as they got to their opponents all game.
Crusaders were fortunate to regain the lead five minutes later. For all that Massam’s finish was impressive and powerful, it came off an obviously forward pass that frustrated home players and fans alike.
The visitors extended their lead ten minutes before the break with a simple move off the back of a scrum that led to Johnson shoving his way through, although quite why Crusaders were awarded the scrum in the first place when they appeared to have knocked on was something of a mystery.
They struck again moments before the break and this time there could few complaints from the Hurricanes – Crusaders smashed through multiple defenders and kept the ball alive, eventually finding Houghton.
Crusaders weren’t done for the half either; Gavin Rodden broke the Hurricanes defence with a superbly-timed run, before slipping the ball to Reid who marked his return to the Midlands with an easy score.
Hurricanes needed to score first after the break and did. While it was Liam Welham who applied the finish, credit has to go to his brother Matty who latched onto a loose ball metres from his own line then hared to halfway, before a quick play-the-ball from Stead set up Welham senior for the try.
Liam Welham marked his return from injury with two tries. Pic: Craig Cathcart.
Any sniff of a comeback was headed off on the hour when Cru scored again – they threw the ball around with panache against a tiring defence, before Houghton eventually found a hole to dive through. Former Coventry Bear Barratt’s powerful score moments later properly killed off the Hurricanes’ challenge.
The hosts did give the bumper summer crowd something to cheer with a quarter of an hour to play, when the lively Newbound crashed over, but Cru still had time to have the final say, after some slick hands played in Massam to bag his second with five minutes to play.
There was one note of celebration for the Hurricanes; Saturday’s game marked Hayden Freeman’s 100th professional appearance in the game, and he led the team onto the pitch for kick-off.
A Midlander, Freeman came through the Coventry Bears academy to become a firm favourite in the side, and is the record try scorer across the combined history of the Bears and Hurricanes.
He said after the match: “It’s a great milestone. I’ve been with the club for six years now and it’s buzzing, we’re building every year. It feels like we’re going in the right way and I’m more than happy to stick around for as long as I can keep playing.”
Hayden Freeman wasn’t able to score on his 100th professional appearance. Pic: Craig Cathcart.
Hurricanes man of the match: Liam Welham
MATCHFACTS
HURRICANES: Lawton, Milnthorpe, M Welham, L Welham, Freeman, Collins, Stead, Clavering, Windley, Ryan, Dawson, Boardman, Walton.
Subs (all used): Cullimore, Newbound, Bull, Weetman.
Tries: L Welham (18, 53), Newbound (68)
Goals: Stead 2/3
CRUSADERS: Johnson, Turner, Swarbrick, Reid, Massam, Ah Van, Briers, Barratt, Gregory, Hazzard, Rodden, Eckley, Smith.
Subs (all used): Moores, Brennan, Houghton, Fletcher.
Tries: Eckley (9), Massam (23, 75), Johnson (31), Houghton (37, 61), Reid (40), Barratt (65)
Goals: Johnson 7/8
Penalty count: 5-7
Half-time: 6-28
Referee: Kevin Moore
Attendance: 656
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-16, 6-22, 6-28, 10-28, 10-34, 10-40, 16-40, 16-46