Fri 29th-Sun 31st Mar: The Betfred League One Match Thread

[John Drake]

Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Hunslet v Keighley Cougars KO 19:30

SATURDAY 30th MARCH
Newcastle Thunder v Workington Town KO 15:00

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
North Wales Crusaders v Midlands Hurricanes KO 14:30
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets KO 15:00
 

[clwydianrange]

Keighley 

Workington to have an easy run out at Newcastle 

Crusaders to come out on top in a close game with Hurricanes 

Oldham to win but it’ll be close over Hornets

[Gomersall]

 

[Yorks Tim]

Hunslet 28 v 22 Keighley Cougars
Newcastle Thunder 12 v 48 Workington Town
North Wales Crusaders 22 v 28 Midlands Hurricanes
Oldham 26 v 24 Rochdale Hornets

 

[Barley Mow]

Hunslet v Keighley

Newcastle v Workington

North Wales v Midlands

Oldham v Rochdale Hornets

[Dovster]

Cougars by 6

Town by 14

Crusaders by 10

Oldham by 18

[Phil W]

I'll be at Thunder and being completely realistic I want to see us be in the fight for longer as our results at Hunslet and Midlands suggest we have been first half. 

Other than that I expect Oldham to win and the other two games could be quite tight but will go for Keighley and North Wales. 

[tbgfc]

Keighley by 16

Town by 24

NWC by 6

Oldham by 18

[northamptoncougar]

I don’t think keighley will win the league but I don’t believe people realise what a gem of a coach Keighley have got in Matt Foster, a club legend who’s spent around 10 years with Burleigh Bears.

It’s that type of coach who grows a team and a culture, personality wise he’s the complete opposite to Long who’s a name but also in no way a stabilising influence.

[Barley Mow]

Newcastle unexpectedly 18-12 up on Workington at half-time.

[Derwent]

52 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Newcastle unexpectedly 18-12 up on Workington at half-time.

Full time - Newcastle 18 Workington 48

[gogledd]

So far, a convincing win for Keighley and an expected win for Workington - although it wasn't as big a difference as I was expecting.

First home game of the season for the North Wales Cru...we had a bye in Round 1, won away at Cornwall last weekend... a great first half but intensity dropped second half. Midlands are up and running with a big score against Newcastle, so it will be interesting to see how the Hurricanes have developed since last season. The games between the 'Canes (or the Coventry Bears) and us have always been close with us losing out on a couple of occasions. I think it could be a close game - but North Wales Crusaders will win.

I just went onto the OurLeague app and the Championship and League 1 tables are still set at the finish of the season 2023 - pretty disappointing considering its an RFL backed enterprise. Do they really care about games outside the Super League?

 

Oldham will beat Hornets handsomely. 

[moorside roughyed]

Will be watching the Oldham game on the Sportsman tomorrow.

[sheddingswasus]

9 hours ago, moorside roughyed said:

Will be watching the Oldham game on the Sportsman tomorrow.

Get yourself down there. Get the habit back!

[fearnowt]

First home game of the season, first day of British Summer Time and bright blue skies here in Wrexham. Breakfast this morning in the appropriately name "The Midland" pub and then off to a slightly warmer Colwyn Bay. I think I've picked a good day to book the day off work.

Looking forward to a really good game, obviously hoping for a Cru win, but I think it's going to be close either way.

[Gomersall]

31 minutes ago, fearnowt said:

First home game of the season, first day of British Summer Time and bright blue skies here in Wrexham. Breakfast this morning in the appropriately name "The Midland" pub and then off to a slightly warmer Colwyn Bay. I think I've picked a good day to book the day off work.

Looking forward to a really good game, obviously hoping for a Cru win, but I think it's going to be close either way.

Are you a vicar by any chance?

[fearnowt]

1 hour ago, Gomersall said:

Are you a vicar by any chance?

Bless you my son.

[OriginalMrC]

That's a poor result today for Hurricanes when you consider the respective budgets of both clubs. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way towards Crusaders but they definitely get value for money on the players they put on the pitch.

[clwydianrange]

A hard fought game at Colwyn Bay with forwards dominating. The result really in doubt up to the final whistle but a little bit of magic finished off by Pat Ah Van was the deciding score.

 

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

38 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

That's a poor result today for Hurricanes when you consider the respective budgets of both clubs. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way towards Crusaders but they definitely get value for money on the players they put on the pitch.

Cru won because of a massive defensive effort, the Hurricanes just lacked that little bit of nous in attack that would have made all the difference. I can see the Hurricanes in the mix for a play-off place if they keep this up- it'll click in the end. Very good gate for L1 - 770.

[Yorks Tim]

1 hour ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Cru won because of a massive defensive effort, the Hurricanes just lacked that little bit of nous in attack that would have made all the difference. I can see the Hurricanes in the mix for a play-off place if they keep this up- it'll click in the end. Very good gate for L1 - 770.

Yes, good summary I reckon.

Hurricanes do need to improve if we are to be involved with the play-off places but we have good players and a coach who I expect will get the best out of them. Was hoping for that today but left a little disappointed. Credit to Crusaders whio were well organised as usual and defended superbly. The main difference was perhaps the nous that comes from the well-seasoned pros like Ah Van, Forster and Barratt (lol).

  

 

[Yorks Tim]

2 hours ago, OriginalMrC said:

That's a poor result today for Hurricanes when you consider the respective budgets of both clubs. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way towards Crusaders but they definitely get value for money on the players they put on the pitch.

Yeah but we got to guzzle Wrexham lager so not all bad 

[gogledd]

54 minutes ago, Yorks Tim said:

Yes, good summary I reckon.

Hurricanes do need to improve if we are to be involved with the play-off places but we have good players and a coach who I expect will get the best out of them. Was hoping for that today but left a little disappointed. Credit to Crusaders whio were well organised as usual and defended superbly. The main difference was perhaps the nous that comes from the well-seasoned pros like Ah Van, Forster and Barratt (lol).

  

 

I thought the Hurricanes gave as good as we expected and dominates periods of the game leaving Crusaders relying on the defence - which, in the main stood up well agains a dogged and determined attack. We have to make better decisions with the ball in hand and not gift opportunities to our opposition.

Well played Hurricanes; it was a game either side could have won - I'm just glad we had that bit more experience in our team.

[FearNothing]

Limited again this year for attending  but glad to see a Cru win over what appears to be an improved Hurricanes, and also a decent crowd. Looking forward to getting there when I can and hopefully Cru going well into the playoffs again. Oldham, with the squad they've got, looking favourites for automatic promotion this year.

[sheddingswasus]

Got round to watching the Oldham v Rochdale game on the Sportman last night. I enjoyed it match live and enjoyed the re-watch. I thought the coverage by the Sportsman was very professional 

Edited April 1 by sheddingswasus