NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 0 NEWCASTLE THUNDER 90
PHIL WORLD, Eirias Stadium, Sunday

NEWCASTLE produced a dominant display to beat a spirited North Wales side, running in 16 tries in the process.

Thunder were inevitably too strong, but Crusaders never gave up and battled all the way to the final whistle.

Will Roberts scored the first two tries of the game, the first from an Andy Djeukessi pass and the second was on the back of a Jordan Lipp kick.

Thunder’s third of eight first-half tries came as Alfie Horwell showed composure to find Djeukessi, who scored the first of his five of the afternoon. 

North Wales’ short kick offs were causing Thunder problems as they struggled to regain possession giving them chances to attack.

But they did score further first-half tries through Lipp on the end of a Roberts grubber kick, before Ryan Jackson powered his way over from short range.

Djeukessi’s pace then burned the defence and he found Jack Smith to score before Ukuma Ta’ai barged his way over and Djeukessi scored the try of the game when his pace on the right wing got him over the line. Myles Harrison kicked seven out of eight conversion attempts in the first half.

The second half started with the Crusaders having a chance to score but they couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity before Thunder brought 50 points up as Mitch Clark carried and offloaded to Lipp for the try. Djeukessi then got his hat-trick from a Lipp pass. 

Brad Ward got in on the act with a quickfire double in the left corner, for the second using his strength to stretch to the line to take it to 0-66.

North Wales’ short kick-offs continued to cause problems but they lacked composure when they got close to the line, often opting for a grubber kick which was always dealt with by the defence. 

Thunder scored four more tries, starting with Djeukessi getting his fourth, before Clark beat Law to a Ward kick to score. Jude Ferreira then finished acrobatically in the corner and Djeukessi got his fifth after Noah Whittingham broke and kindly gave it to him to score, to leave a full-time score of 0-90.

North Wales stuck to their task and didn’t take a backwards step against a high-flying Thunder side. Connor Terrill carried hard for them, especially during his first stint on the pitch.

Myles Harrison’s 13 goals beat Rhys Clarke’s club record of twelve, scored against Coventry Bears in 2019, while Andy Djeukessi’s five tries equalled Andy Walker’s total from 2003 against London Skolars.

Thunder continue their quest for a top two finish as the race for placings in the Championship play-offs heats up; they host Swinton this Saturday afternoon.

GAMESTAR: Andy Djeukessi’s pace and power caused North Wales problems as he helped himself to five tries.

GAMEBREAKER: Will Roberts’ second try took some stuffing out of North Wales after they had made a positive start.

MATCHFACTS

CRUSADERS
22 Lewis Fairhurst
20 Seth Woodend
3 Matt Welham
4 Sam Littler
9 Issac Wheatley
1 Ben O’Connell
7 Ben Fisher
26 Connor Terrill
6 Trent Ruddy
25 James Shields
11 Bailey Dawson
23 Marcus Geener
13 Brad Clavering
Subs (all used)
5 Jordan Cella
14 Jamie Billsborough
19 Stevie Watson
27 Ralph Wood

THUNDER
25 Jack Smith
2 Andy Djeukessi
3 Joe Law
1 Myles Harrison
5 Brad Ward
27 Jordan Lipp
7 Will Roberts
10 Ryan Jackson
33 Alfie Horwell
20 Mitch Clark
8 Bailey Antrobus
22 John Sagaga
17 King Vuniyayawa
Subs (all used)
4 Jude Ferreira
12 Noah Whittingham
18 Ukuma Ta’ai
34 George Birch

Tries: Roberts (5, 8), Djeukessi (11, 38, 50, 67, 78), Lipp (18, 44), Jackson (22) Smith (25), Ta’ai (33), Ward (54, 62), Clark (71), Ferreira (75)
Goals: Harrison 13/16

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 0-16, 0-22, 0-28, 0-34, 0-40, 0-46; 0-50, 0-56, 0-60, 0-66, 0-72, 0-78, 0-84, 0-90

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Crusaders: Connor Terrill; Thunder: Andy Djeukessi

Penalty count: 2-8
Half-time: 0-46
Referee: Adam Williams