News

Cornwall RLFC stars Jack Ray and Josh Tora were part of the Royal Navy Rugby League side that defeated Her Majesty’s Prison Service Crusaders 24-8 yesterday.

The match, which took place at Post Office Road, home of Featherstone Rovers, formed part of the Championship outfit’s Salute to Services Day. It was the curtain raiser to Featherstone’s clash with York City Knights – the hosts prevailing 30-22.

Both Ray and Tora started the match for the Brothers in their familiar prop forward and centre roles respectively. 

In a combative opening 20 minutes, the Crusaders pinned the Navy in their own half and it was no surprise that it was the former who opened the scoring with a well worked try out wide.

However, once the Navy settled into the game, their first forray forward into opposition territory resulted in a try with Ray’s front row colleague Jonny Griffiths going over. 

With the Crusaders’ opener going unconverted, interchange Rhys Joel couldn’t find the mark for the Navy either and the score was locked at 4-4.

Before the half time siren, the Brothers got their noses in front thanks to a brilliant break from Joel which was finished off by full-back and vice-captain Sean Houghton.

Five minutes after the break, the Navy extended their lead when Gavin Duffy was on hand to finish well after 40-metre dash from Matty Gaskell.

Just after the hour mark, the Crusaders narrowed the gap when winger Clarke bagged his second of the afternoon but once more, the extras didn’t find the mark.

In the final quarter, the Brothers found another gear and put the game to bed with two further scores. Firstly Danny Dainty scored the try of the match to race 60 metres to score after outsripping the Crusaders’ rear guard. Gaskell took over the kicking duties and duly slotted over the extra two points.

And with nine minutes left, Navy skipper Ben Taylor broke and fed Duffy before the ball made its way to Louis McKenna who did the rest. 

With no quarter given throughout by two committed teams, tempers did boil over in the closing stages when a barnstorming run from Ray was ended by a high shot which sparked a spate of handbags between both sides.

Order was restored by the match official and the final throes of the match were played out without incident and the Brothers reigned victorious.

Navy: Houghton, Nabure, Tora (Cornwall RLFC), Sugden, Donaldson, Gaskell, Halcrow, Tuinabunawa, Ray (Cornwall RLFC), Griffiths, McKenna, Holland, Taylor. Interchange: Joel, Quantock, Moore, Duffy, Dainty, Bartlett, Leighton, Hutchinson.