The teams will face each other in the Eastern Plate Final at Hemel Stags on the 11th July, so there was much riding on this game as both teams needed points to cement their places in the league but it would also give the winners a psychological advantage going into the plate final...

The Roosters travelled away with a good team, Josh Meadows, Luke Slade, Michael Adams, Cameron Howson and Rhod Howcroft were all unavailable but were replaced with newcomers Tom Conder, Nathan Dewar and Phil Kneeshaw having the opportunity to place a marker for the final and Tom Ransom returned from farming duties who started at loose forward.

The two week break showed from the off as the Roosters started slow. Some indecision and execution would allow the Crusaders to come away from their first attack with the first score of the day. Conversion missed. 4-0

Shell shocked the roosters pressed but found themselves outnumbered out wide as the crusaders winger went over in the corner. Conversion missed. 8-0

The roosters rallied aiming not to panic and continued to make inroads into the crusaders defense, Tommy Newman was having a free running game creating gaps at will with strong running brushing off anyone who got in his way.

For the neutral, yet noisy crowd the game was a definite crowd pleaser. Huge hits, stirling runs and two very even sides battling around a very wide pitch in what felt like 50 degrees! With plenty of water breaks both sides were finding it hard to pierce each other’s armor.

Stefan Gallucci playing pivot in place of the missing Josh Meadows was able to spy a gap and squeeze his slender frame through the gap to score the first try for the Roosters. Conversion successful by Lewis Hall. 8-6

From the restart a sluggish kick chase from the Crusaders allowed Adam Peel to run back at the dog leg and go all the way scoring from 60m out. Hall added the extras. 8-12

With their heads up the Roosters continued on the offensive, a change at Hooker as coach Ashbridge introduced Will Manley with an alternate game plan allowed the Roosters pivots to have more time and space allowing them to interlink at will. The ball was worked along the line utilising the forward runners to the right, and then reversing play along the left allowing Adam Peel to hit a line and score from close range. Conversion missed. 8-16

There was just enough time before the break for the Crusaders to reduce the scoreline, the Roosters ill-discipline gave the Crusaders continued repeated sets and it wouldn’t be long before they found a gap to score. Conversion successful.

Half time 14-16 to the Roosters

After the break the Roosters were abruptly awakened. A lapse in concentration and communication allowed the Crusaders centre the chance to take on a couple of Roosters players one at a time, great footwork from the centre allowed him to get away from the covering defense to score a good individual try. Conversion successful. 20-16.
Adam Peel was having another great game from centre, a fumbled ball from a Crusaders player fell into the arms of Peel who went on a barnstorming run down the win, out pacing anyone close to score a great individual try under the posts and round off his Hat Trick. Conversion Successful 20-22

Captain Mickey Blackley was next to score for the Roosters, some strong runs from Josh Dear, Mike Wright, and Chris Sykes put the Roosters in great field position. Mickey Drake found Josh Dear in space calving a gap in the Crusaders defense like a knife through butter going 30m down field, tackled by the full back a shot pop pass from Manley found Blackley ahead of steam to crash through two players to score. Conversion successful. 20-28

The Roosters pivots continued to dictate the tempo of play, a reverse play from Drake and Gallucci allowed Drake to free Josh Dear, Dear picked the ball up off his laces, and thundered over the line to score his first try in 3 years. Conversion successful. 20-34
The Roosters continued to pressure the tiring Crusaders, the penalties began to increase resulting in back to back sets attacking the Crusaders line. If not for a valiant defense the score line could have been more as Tom McNamara, Lewis Hall, and Tom Ransom were all held up over the line but Sam Redhead found a gap and wriggled free of the full back grounding the ball for the final score of the game. Conversion missed

Full time score 20-38

Ashbridge commented “It was a good all round performance from the guys today, the heat was affecting everyone on the field. Rotations from the bench were key to give enough players breaks to recover and hydrate. It was a good testing game allowing us to size up the Crusaders going into the Plate Final in two weeks. We targeted this game and next week as defining points in the league season so it was good to come away with a win.”