Siddal cut loose in second half

It keeps Gareth Greenwood’s men just above Rochdale Mayfield with two rounds of fixtures left ahead of the play-offs.

Leigh Miners Rangers are close to sealing top spot after a 20-18 win at East Leeds yesterday.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for Siddal at Chevinedge. The visitors from St Helens were 10-0 up after 14 minutes thanks to tries from hooker Sean Kenny and winger Louis Taylor, plus one conversion from centre Sean Quinn.

Tries from winger Gareth Blackburn and centre Freddie Walker, with one successful kick by Gavin Stead, made it 10-10 after half an hour but a Quinn penalty edged Crusaders 12-10 up at the break.

Siddal got their act together and six tries in 23 minutes after the interval put the game to bed.

Stand-off Shaun Garrod set the ball rolling, prop Tom Garratt added a quick double, Walker got his second and front rower Richard Merville and second row Danny Williams added to the tally.

Winger Stead added five of the six goals to move the Chevinedge men out of sight at 44-10.

Replacement George Ambler got the next with 10 minutes left, Stead’s goal bringing up the half-century.

Adam Hesketh scored Crusaders’ third try with six minutes left and Quinn converted.

However, Walker completed his hat-trick and Stead converted to complete a one-sided second half.

Heath had Adam Hesketh and Sean Leicester sin-binned during the course of the match while Ambler also had to take a 10-minute break.