Old Crossleyans RUFC

Old Crossleyans were stunned right from the kick-off in their match against Scarborough, making early crucial errors that set the tone for the game. Dropping the initial kick off and mismanaging a line-out allowed Scarborough to capitalize, scoring their first try just four minutes in.

Crocs quickly responded, with Joal McFarlane delivering a bouncing pass to Alex Thompson, who sprinted into the corner for a try converted by James Johnson, levelling the score at 7-7.

Scarborough struck back immediately, with hooker Jake Lyon crossing the line for his second try despite a desperate tackle from Chris Vine.

In a fast-paced opening ten minutes, Scarborough surged with yet another try making the score 21-7. Showing resilience, Crocs regained their composure; a clever clearance kick from McFarlane led to Thompson's second try, again converted by Johnson, narrowing the gap to 21-14 after twenty-five minutes.

Scarborough continued to apply pressure, extending their lead, with a penalty to 24-14 after a Crocs infringement in their own 22.

Near the end of the first half Scarborough’s number 8 made a break from the base of the scrum, allowing Eual Govier to crash over the try line, bringing the score to 29-14. As the half drew to a close, a crucial turnover by Harry Drennan and a quick tap penalty from Chris Vine kept the score intact at halftime.

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In the second half, Crocs fought hard, with strong tackles from Tom Metcalfe and a steal by George Banham earning them valuable territory. However, a penalty attempt by Johnson fell short. Scarborough capitalized on their next opportunity, with fly-half Ollie Carroll slotting over a penalty to extend the lead.

As heavy rain began to fall, Crocs’ fullback Josh Hunt made a daring run from his own 22, finding George Hammond to advance the play. Unfortunately, hooker Santiago Busso’s effort to score was ruled held up by the referee. In the final moments, Jake Smith pass out of contact found Matthew Beswick, who scored near the corner, bringing the score to 32-19.

Despite needing just one more try for a bonus point, time ran out for the visitors, leaving them to reflect on missed opportunities.