Crocs foiled by late try

Last week Crocs snatched victory at Wetherby. This week visitors Wath-Upon Dearne secured a 14-11 win in added on time.

Crocs looked to have won with Joe Gallagher’s try entering the last five minutes but Joe Earp’s late score left the home side with only a losing bonus point.

Both teams contributed to an even, entertaining contest. Defences were on top for large parts and scoring opportunities were rationed.

Wath controlled the opening exchanges. Crocs were penalised for not releasing after a crunching tackle. The visitors kicked to the corner and line out ball set up a driving maul. Wath had several tilts at the line but the defence held firm and the pressure was relieved by Gallagher’s clearance to touch.

A Wath penalty on eight minutes drifted wide but they were awarded another from the restart. Line out ball was secured and it required an exemplary tackle from full back Chris Seymour to prevent the opposition from breaching the defensive line.

Crocs then established a foothold in the Wath half. Gallagher’s cross kick to the right wing found Billy Hammond but the referee adjudged the wing man to have been offside.

Wath attacked in centre field but knocked on. From the scrum Crocs worked a blind side move but fumbled from a promising scoring opportunity.

The opening score was posted on the half hour when Gallagher landed a penalty from 30 metres.

Crocs twice kicked further penalties to the corner but were unable to cash in and turned round with a 3-0 advantage.

Crocs started the second half strongly. A flowing move was only halted when Kolade Bobo was tackled into touch 10 metres out.

They attacked again but Wath held firm, turned the ball over, won a penalty and took the lead 10 minutes into the half when scrum half Joe Bartlett forced his way over. Jack Whitlam’s conversion made it 7-3.

A chance to reduce the arrears was missed when a penalty drifted wide.

Further Wath pressure was relieved by an excellent clearance from Seymour.

Soon after, Wath’s Rory Anderson broke deep into the Crocs’ half but lacked support.

Ryan Hammond burst through the midfield and shortly after Craig Heppenstall dummied and the ball was spread out to the left wing.

Wath had a man yellow carded for a deliberate knock on and after a penalty for a high tackle Gallagher narrowed Wath’s lead to 7-6.

Bobo produced another barnstorming run and with the game on a knife edge, Gallagher skipped through a gap to regain the lead at 11-7.

Crucially, Wath secured the ball from the restart and when Crocs were penalised the visitors had no hesitation in kicking to the corner. Their initial drives were held up but from their own scrum feed 10 metres out, they put the shove on and Joe Earp dropped on the ball over the line. The conversion was added.