Cornwall RLFC vs North Wales Crusaders: Match Report

Photo credit: JT Sports Photography – Cornwall prop Matt Ross, who played the entire 80 minutes – pretty rare even in this day and age for a prop to do that!

Match Report

by Gareth Davies, Truro College, Sunday

Betfred League 1 Round 2

Cornwall RLFC: 16 – North Wales Crusaders: 40

Cornwall RLFC started their Betfred League 1 campaign at home in 2024 with defeat against North Wales Crusaders.

The Colwyn Bay based outfit, who were beaten play-off finalists last year, were led by their outstanding player coach Carl Forster, who despite starting the game on the interchange bench, scored two tries.

But Cornwall will be left to rue an ill-disciplined and error strewn opening 40 minutes in which they gifted the visitors field position at regular junctures.

Indeed, the tone was set within the opening moments of a game switched to Truro College, owing to problems with the pitch at the Memorial Ground, because of the recent wet weather.

Cornwall kicked off and a solid defensive set saw the Choughs fielding the football 25 metres from their own line. However, an incorrect play-the-ball gifted North Wales back possession and this gave the Crusaders’ giant pack their first chance to flex their collective muscles.

And despite Cornwall defending heroically on their own line, they cracked after a fourth consecutive set with centre Kieran Taylor powering over. Owain Abel missed the extras, but this would be his only blemish from the tee all afternoon.

Hughes was the next Crusader to register when he also went over close to the Cornwall line, displaying a fine fleet of foot to dot down underneath the posts. The away side then scored the next time they had hands on the ball, once again from a Cornwall mistake.

The outstanding Chris Barratt was in on the act shortly after the 20-minute mark and with Abel converting with ease, North Wales were 16-0 up and very much in the ascendancy.

Cornwall, with little ball or field position did finally have sight of the Crusaders’ line’ as the half wore on, forcing a repeat set, but the home side’s half was perhaps summed up when from the drop out, they were penalised by referee Aaryn Belafonte for not playing the ball properly.

That was the fourth such offence Cornwall committed in the first half and they were made to pay when Crusaders marched up the field and their outstanding leader Forster scored the first of his two tries.

At 22-0, Cornwall knew they weren’t out of the contest as when the two sides met in Wales last year, the Choughs almost blew a 40-4 interval lead to hold on to prevail 40-38.

And hopes of a comeback were roused eight minutes after the break when winger Harry Aaronson finished out wide for the second match in succession. Cameron Brown missed the extras but Cornwall were up and running.

The games decisive moment then came after 51 minutes when Cornwall broke down the middle through Tom Ashton. He found the supporting Brown, but the final pass went to ground. With ball now back in hand, Dan Coates went up the other end to score.

Five minutes later and the points were heading back to Colwyn Bay as Forster bagged his second of the afternoon before Hughes matched the feat of his coach as North Wales hit the 40-point mark.

But Cornwall never raised the white flag and they finished well as Nathan Cullen scored eight minutes from time.

The Choughs were also handed a numerical advantage when Pat Rainford hit Aaronson high. The Cornwall winger, after picking up a kick behind his own line, looked to set to go the distance until he was illegally stopped. Rainford was lucky to escape with just a yellow card, although he is certain to face further punishment for trying to lift Aaronson off the ground whilst he was injured.

Cornwall made their numerical advantage count with the final play as Brown scored the try of the game by breaking from inside his own half and outflanking Abel. To finish the game on a high from Cornwall’s point of view, Brown kicked a magnificent sideline conversion after the siren.

Cornwall: Nichol, Mitchell, Simpson, Ashton, Mitchell, Brown, Punchard, Ross, Collins, Boots, Cullen, Weetman, Dimech. Interchange: (all used) O’Callaghan, Bannister, Lloyd, Trerise.

Tries: Aaronson (48), Cullen (70), Brown (80)

Goals: Brown 2/3

North Wales Crusaders: Abel, Holmes, Taylor, Reid, Ah-Van, Coates, Hughes, Costello, Rainford, Barratt, Ellis, Unsworth, Carr. Interchange: (all used) Baldwin, Forster, Else-Roberts, Nzongou

Tries: Taylor (7), Hughes (18,67), Barratt (22), Forster (32,56), Coates (51)

Goals: Abel 7/8

Sinbin: Rainford (72) – high tackle

Referee: Aaryn Belafonte

Match Reaction from Mike Abbott

Head coach Mike Abbott says the performance from his Cornwall RLFC side was ‘frustrating’ after they were defeated 40-16 by North Wales Crusaders.

In a game switched to Truro College, owing to weather concerns with the Memorial Ground pitch, a limited, all-ticket capacity of 300 spectators, witnessed an error-strewn opening 40 minutes from the Choughs.

A string of penalties and errors saw North Wales race into a 22-0 lead. But in the second stanza, Cornwall were much improved and they more than matched last year’s beaten play-off finalists.

Tries from Harry Aaronson, Nathan Cullen and Cameron Brown, with a stunning effort in the final minute, saw Cornwall match North Wales’ three tries after the turnaround.

“The performance sort of mirrored last week’s,” Abbott told cornwallrlfc.co.uk. “We wanted to kick on from last week’s second half performance at Keighley, but it didn’t materialise.

“It was things that we could control that led North Wales onto us. There were six agains on the last tackle and penalties for not playing the ball properly. With their pack, half-backs and full-back, you are just inviting trouble and it will then be a long day.

“It is really frustrating because all you have to do is put your foot on the ball and roll it back, we are not asking you to do anything extraordinary. That said, the lads were honest in the changing room with one another and we have to kick on.

“It can’t just be just words anymore, we have to mean them and kick on.”

Although Abbott did acknowledge his side’s upturn in fortunes after a disappointing opening 40, he says the Choughs can’t keep helping side’s open up big leads in games.

“Unfortunately, teams in this league are too good to be giving a 20-point start because you are then chasing things,” he remarked. “We can take positives from the second half, but I would just rather put a line in the sand and kick on although I am cautious that it is only our second game.

“We are good enough to be competing with teams like North Wales – and that is no disrespect to them – for the full 80 minutes, opposed to the last 30.”

Cornwall’s cause was not helped by injuries suffered to Chris Bannister who was forced off at the break with a concussion injury, while Australian Darcy Simpson hobbled off inside the final 10 minutes. Injured half back Adam Rusling, who suffered a serious leg gash against Keighley, was present at the game and Abbott gave an update on his recovery.

“Chris was a head injury and he is being assessed,” the Cornwall chief revealed. “Given the period of time we will have off, we can manage that recovery. For Darcy, he had a bang on the top of his knee and with the game gone, there was no point keeping him on.

“With Adam, we are confident he will be good (for the Oldham game).”