Bell injury takes shine off Crushers’ victory over Roosters

HERBERT River Crushers’ gritty 25- 24 win over Burdekin Roosters was overshadowed by a serious leg injury to winger Chris Bell in Saturday’s Townsville District Rugby League clash in Ayr.

Crushers halfback and players’ player Mitch Seri capped off a fine game with the match- winning field goal in the dying stages, which keeps them just a game behind outright leaders Brothers on the table.

Herbert River were relieved to squeeze out a win after they squandered a 10- 0 lead in losing to Brothers 16- 10 last week.

The visitors raced to an early 12- 0 lead but Burdekin had all the momentum going into the halftime break at 18all. The Crushers had to defend their own line grimly for the final 10 minutes and held the Roosters at bay, before Seri stepped up to seal the victory.

However, Bell’s season is over after he suffered a compound break to his leg.

“He’s being playing really well, one of our unsung heroes, and it put a sour note on a gritty win,” Crushers coach Ian Schifilitti said.

“We got off to a fast start and probably thought it was going to be an easier night.”

Brothers beat Centrals 28- 14, Charters Towers thrashed Norths 52- 4 and the Western Lions thumped understrength University Saints 76- 6.

The Saints were missing six regular first- graders due to army commitments and while he praised the Lions efforts, University head coach Tony Martin also rued the loss of a number of his key players in the lopsided result.

“We had a lot of our regular players away on an army exercise so that hurt us and the game was a bit of a struggle for the boys there,” he said.

“It was a tough day but the boys can’t keep their heads down. We had been building some momentum as a club and we just need to hang in there and keep working hard.”