Sat 28 Feb 2026
Early Promise Fades as Pontefract Hit Back
Old Crossleyans 1XV 26 – 38 Pontefract
The afternoon began on a high note with news that Chris Vine and his wife, Becky, had welcomed a baby girl. The club sends its warmest congratulations to the family on their new arrival. However, the happy news necessitated a late reshuffle of the starting line-up; Vine’s absence moved James Johnson to scrum-half, while George Ackroyd stepped onto the wing and Jack Hammond joined the bench.
Despite the disruption, Old Crossleyans started brightly, with their scrum immediately exerting pressure. Following a powerful pick-and-drive from Jacob Pollard, the ball moved swiftly through the hands to Alex Thompson, who crossed in the corner. Though the conversion hit the post, the hosts looked confident. This was bolstered when Harry Drennan reacted first to a Pontefract handling error, hacking the ball forward and winning the race to touch down. Johnson’s conversion moved the score to 12–3.
The momentum shifted rapidly as defensive lapses began to haunt the Crocs. Pontefract responded with a breakaway drive before their fullback sparked a clinical 14-point blitz. Two quick-fire tries—one from a deep kick return and another immediately from the restart—exposed gaps in the home defence. By the interval, the visitors had turned the game on its head to lead 12–24.
Pontefract maintained their clinical edge in the second half. Their fly-half sliced through the middle to set up a try in the corner, and matters worsened when a loose Crocs pass was scooped up by the visitors, who raced the length of the field to score. At 12–38, the game was effectively out of reach.
The Crocs did find late reward through their set-piece. A dominant scrum forced a penalty try, followed by a close-range finish from Brockson Brown, converted by Johnson. While these scores secured a four-try bonus point, they did little to mask a disappointing day at Broomfield. Aimless kicking and missed tackles allowed Pontefract to dictate the terms, leaving the side to reflect on a vital opportunity missed with just four league games remaining.
