Force hold Crusaders to draw

It's already too late in the night so the ARU match report will have to suffice for now.
Hopefully replace it tomorrow with our own work.
A fantastic effort by the boys, I am really proud to be a Member of such a team.

Force hold Crusaders to draw

April 21, 2006 - 9:05pm

Television Match Official Geoff Acton was the most unpopular man in Perth tonight, disallowing a marginal late try that would have broken the 23-23 draw and given the Emirates Western Force a win over the champion Crusaders at Subiaco Oval.

The draw itself was a mighty feat as the Force rose to new levels as a lacklustre Crusaders made uncharacteristic errors against the competition wooden spooners, supported by 30,200 ebullient Western Australians.

The Force crackled with energy as they dominated the first half, leading by an astonishing 20-8 at half time.

The Crusaders had the better of territory and possession but also conceded more turnovers and made more errors as the Force played out of their skin.

The Crusaders looked in control from the start but it was the home team who drew first blood.

Man of the match Cameron Shepherd picked up loose ball from a Crusaders knock on to score. He converted his own try for a 7-0 lead.

The Crusaders struck back within the minute, gaining a free kick from a ruck in front. The ball went wide for No. 8 Mose Tuiali'i to score. Flyhalf Daniel Carter missed the conversion from the sideline to leave the score 7-5.

In an amazing start to the game, the Force charged back, and inside centre Scott Staniforth held up the ball in the tackle long enough to offload inside to reserve flyhalf Brock James, who scored unmarked. Shepherd converted and Subiaco Oval went wild as the Force went ahead 14-5 against the competition leaders after 13 minutes.

The Force went further ahead after 23 minutes when the Crusades were penalised for coming in from the side of the ruck. Shepherd slotted a difficult kick to increase the lead to 17-5.

Carter replied with a penalty after 31 minutes when the Force were judged offside in defence, but he missed another three minutes later when a dubious call from the touch judge led to Force centre Josh Graham being penalised for a dangerous tackle.

Shepherd had the last word for the half one minute from time with a penalty from out wide when a Crusdaers tackler failed to roll away.

The Force opened the second spell strongly and gained a penalty for offisde after four minutes but Shepherd pushed the difficult kick a fraction wide.

On 52 minutes, the Crusaders gained three consecutive penalty lineouts but the Force repulsed all attacks. All Black prop Greg Somereville came on and the Canterbury scrum gained new dominance, but after five minutes of fruitless attack Carter opted for an easy penalty to close the gap at 20-11.

The Crusaders threatened briefly halfway through the spell but the Force stole a turnover and took play downfield where Shepherd landed a wobbly 40 metre penalty to increase the lead to 23-11.

The Crusaders stormed back to assault the Force line and prop Gareth Hardy was yellow carded for a ruck offence. The Crusaders took a tap penalty and fullback Leon MacDonald scored out wide on an overlap. Carter missed the conversion and the Force maintained the lead at 23-16.

The Force went straight back on attack but the Crusaders stole the ball and ran wide where Carter kicked ahead for Rico Gear who won the race to touch down. Carter converted to tie the game up at 23-23.

But the Force weren't done. A charged-down kick was re-gathered and wing Haig Sare who powered over the line with two Carusaders defenders clinging to him, but the television match official ruled that his legs had gone into touch and the try was disallowed.

A second touchdown just before full time was called back for an earlier knock on and the match that could so easily have been the new franchises' first win for the season, finished on a draw.

Western Force

Tries: Shepherd, James

Conversions: Shepherd 2

Penalty Goals: Shepherd 3

Crusaders

Tries: Tuiali`i, MacDonald, Gear

Conversions: Carter 1

Penalty Goals: Carter 2