Noble blasts officials as Crusaders pipped

Brian Noble laid in to the match officials after watching his Crusaders side lose 18-16 at Hull thanks to a last second penalty.

The Welsh side had got themselves back on level terms in the final stages of the game against 12 men, following Jordan Tansey‘s red card.

But after the hooter had sounded, the officials awarded Hull with a penalty following a late tackle on winger Reece Lyne. Danny Tickle stepped up to convert impressively from the touchline and give Hull the two points with his sixth penalty of the game.

Noble said: “I’m absolutely, thoroughly, disappointed with the end of the game.

“I just think you put your hard work in, and we weren’t great and I’ve told the players that, but they didn’t deserve that.

“I confess to being angry because of the magnitude of what this might or might not do.

“I confess to being absolutely seething. It was a difficult end to the game. It is a bitter pill and I am quite cross. I’m as cross as a cross man in a cross shop.”

Crusaders outscored Hull two tries to one but found themselves consistently pegged back by referee James Child throughout the match.

He sent off Tansey for a spear tackle with five minutes remaining, and Crusaders tied the game up through Peter Lupton in his absence.

Hull boss Richard Agar said: “I didn’t see the incident, but over the 80 minutes I’ve certainly got some empathy with him. I think everybody felt that. It was a difficult night with the conditions.

“The penalties dictated the way the game was played.”