Old Crossleyans RUFC

Relegation Confirmed Following Serious-Looking Injury in Wetherby Finale

Old Crossleyans’ stay in Regional 2 North East came to a difficult end on Saturday as a 29-0 defeat at Wetherby confirmed their relegation to Yorkshire 1. In a "winner takes all" encounter where the victor would secure league safety, the afternoon was defined by clinical finishing from the hosts and a serious-looking injury to Crocs’ Sam Ives that overshadowed the result.

The match began in perfect conditions at Grange Park, with Crocs showing early intent and testing the Wetherby defense. However, the momentum shifted decisively against the run of play. As Crocs pressured the Wetherby line, an interception by the hosts' winger saw him race the length of the pitch to score under the posts. Despite strong carries from Boj Sembi and Harry Drennan, Crocs were unable to capitalize on multiple visits to the Wetherby 22, hampered by a string of set-piece errors and forward passes.

Wetherby proved far more clinical, utilizing sharp offloads to punish the visitors. They added three further tries before the interval, capitalizing on a series of Crocs errors to take a commanding 24-0 lead into the break.

The second half was dominated by a lengthy delay following an injury to Sam Ives during a passage of play. Ives suffered a serious-looking injury that required immediate attention, and the match was halted for approximately 30 minutes while the on-site physios, match officials, and staff from Wetherby RUFC worked together to manage the situation until an ambulance arrived.

When play eventually resumed, Crocs fought with renewed vigor. Sam Gill and Matthew Beswick led several promising attacks, and the visitors came agonizingly close to scoring, only to drop the ball over the try line. Wetherby eventually sealed the result with a final try in the corner to finish the scoring at 29-0.

The result sees Old Crossleyans finish 11th in the table with 48 points. While the final scoreline was disappointing, the season as a whole was marked by a high level of competitiveness; Crocs secured eight wins and suffered five narrow defeats by seven points or fewer, proving they were often only inches away from a different outcome.

Man of the Match: Sam Gill

Club Statement: The thoughts of everyone at Old Crossleyans are with Sam Ives. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the physios, the match officials, and Wetherby RUFC for their swift and professional assistance during Saturday's emergency. Despite the disappointment of relegation, the club remains proud of the effort shown throughout a demanding campaign and looks forward to rebuilding next season.