Royal Navy dumped out of Challenge Cup after heavy defeat to North Wales Crusaders
The Royal Navy have been unceremoniously dumped out of the Rugby League Challenge Cup after losing 70-0 to the North Wales Crusaders.
After making history by reaching the fourth round last year, the reigning Inter Services champions would have expected more of themselves than this comprehensively large defeat.
But the Crusaders were in control from the outset as they piled in four unanswered tries, three of them converted, in the first half.
Matthew Reid put the home side ahead within the first five minutes and he popped up again with the Crusaders third try of the afternoon.
His teammates David Gibbons and Chris Barratt followed his lead with Bradley Billsborough a reliable kicker of conversions.
At half-time, the Crusaders cruised to a 22-0 margin as the Royal Navy found themselves well on the back foot.
Coming out for the second half the senior service looked deflated, and the North Wales outfit just kept punishing them.
Robert Massam, Carl Forster, Owain Abel and Kieran Taylor all crossed the line as well a hat trick try for Reid and a brace for Gibbons.
In fact, the only military man to get his name on the scoresheet was ex RAF and UKAF player Jordan Andrade, who scored two tries for the home side before the final whistle - where the final score saw the North Wales Crusaders take away a comprehensive 70-0 win over the navy.
A disappointing day for military rugby league as the fourth round heroes of last year were simply blown away on the north Wales coast.
The Royal Navy advanced to the second round two weeks ago after they Barrow Island at home in Portsmouth.
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