OLD CROSSLEYANS 10 BILLINGHAM 32

Old Crossleyans played their best rugby of the season in winning the first half 7-3 against North One East leaders.

From the off Crocs were fast and furious in fronting up to their high scoring visitors whose points difference is + 507 versus Crocs + 40 !

Forwards and backs combined in high tempo rugby, play flowing smoothly using the full width of the pitch creating great chances.

However the tremendous effort took its toll and in the final quarter Billinghams "professional" approach came to the fore and blitzed the home team with three well worked tries to finish convincing 10 - 32 winners.

With all the territorial advantage Crossleyans had yet to score after 20 minutes then their best chance so far was created by a powerful charge to the line by No 8 Ryan Hammond who stumbled at the crucial moment with unmarked Manny Riaz outside him and the line at his mercy& the ball went to ground.

Billinghams attack could not penetrate Crocs great defence and in frustration fullback Peter Evans unsuccessfully tried a drop goal from 40 metres, their follow up attack repelled by a great 70 metres touch finder from Crocs No 10 Chris Jones.

Crossleyans line out was functioning well today and from a James Cooper tap down, fast passing found No 8 Ryan Hammond out wide but his charge was halted by the touch line tackle.

Amazingly the first score of the half came after 35 minutes when Crocs were penalised for off side 30 metres out and Peter Evans took the visitors into a 3 - 0 lead.

Crossleyans returned to attack with centre Gareth Ott and fly half Chris Jones alternating positions in a planned effort to confuse the defence.

Crocs scrum was overpowering the visitors even without the injured heavyweight Chris Wood at No 4 and from one such midfield effort Ryan Hammond picked up at No 8 and made good yards winning a penalty on the 22 metre line.

Scrum half Ed Cockroft quickly tapped and went, bamboozling the defence, and with Chris Seymour and Jack Hammond in support, was pushed over the line but the referee ruled the ball was held up by the defender. From the ensuing 5 metre scrum the heroic pack powered forward over the line for No 8 Hammond to make the well deserved first home score converted by Cockroft to lead 7 - 3.

Billingham responded strongly through player/coach and ex Northampton centre Chris Hyndman one of two brothers who beat three tackles to half way, slipping the ball to the supporting Peter Evans, one of four brothers in the team, now moved to fly half from full back, who beat eight tackles before being bundled into touch 5 metres out from the line out .Billingham recovered possession then lost it into touch and the half time whistle saved the Crocs position.

Immediately from the restart Billingham came out of the blocks all guns blazing, wing Paul Shepherd, his brother being on the other wing !!, beat two tackles in a touchline dart, but was stopped by rock solid Chris Seymour at fullback only to offload to the supporting centre Chris Hyndman who scored a seven pointer to lead 7 - 10.

Billingham returned to the attack through a good break by flanker Robinson, the ball lost over the home line and rescued by Manny Riaz who was late tackled resulting in a fracas and the captains being lectured. A scrum to Crocs was awarded from which Neil Richardson's heavy boot took play to the visitors half.

Crocs prop Mark Palmer's power secured turn over ball from a ruck and hooker Richard Wheale made a good break and fed the supporting Seymour on the wing, Wheale backed up and took the inside back flip pass to make more ground from where Ed Cockfroft was late tackled by Billinghams No 5 Dalton who won a yellow card for his effort.

Unfortunately Cockroft was unable to capitalise on the three points on offer the score remaining at 7 - 10 after 60 minutes of play.

Centre Gareth Ott had to leave the field with a neck injury to be replaced by wing Andy Garnett, Jack Hammond moving to centre.

Billingham attacked out wide but a long kick ahead from half way went dead. From the Crocs scrum ball the visitors intercepted but were penalised for off side and gave up another 10 metres for arguing and Cockroft's great penalty drew the sides level 10 - 10.

Billingham attacked from the restart and great defence from Manny Riaz and Mark Thomas kept them at bay but Peter Evans, now' at fly half dropped the goal to lead 10 - 13.

Both sides continued with good entertaining end to end rugby, Billingham gradually gaining the upperhand their " band of brothers" gelling well.

Chris Hyndman powered through the defence, full back Seymour performing a great wrap around tackle but unable to to stop the offload to supporting No 8 M.Evans and a further seven points to the visitors and a lead of 10 - 20.

Fresh legs for the home side were brought on ,Boj Sembi for Andy Day and Andrew Truscott for James Cooper, and Crocs returned to their all out attack with Boj quickly into the fray supported by co - prop Mark Palmer, having a storming game.

Wing Wainwright again supported another Neil Richardson burst but play was halted for a head injury to player/coach Chris Jones who had to go off resulting in Jack Hammond moving into fly half and Ryan moving out to centre.

Billinghams pressure now increased on the depleted home side and the visiting pack drove back Crocs 10 metre scrum and the loose ball was fly kicked out by the home defence for following up replacement Garbutt to touch down, Evans (P) missing the conversion to go further ahead 10 - 25 with 5 minutes left.

Crocs continued their attacking efforts, Simon Normanton probing, supported by Garnett and Truscott.

Billingham regained posession and a flowing backs move from touchline to touchline saw the wing kick ahead, chase and catch and inside pass to Peter Evans,full back Seymour making the enveloping tackle but unable to stop the converted try making the final score 10 - 32.

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OLD CROSSLEYANS 10 BILLINGHAM 32