OWAIN ABEL says North Wales Crusaders can compete with any side in League One when they’re at the top of their game.

Crusaders have had a three-week break ahead of their return to action at home against Keighley Cougars this Sunday and last month, it was a 22-6 loss away to the Cougars which ended North Wales’ unbeaten start to the campaign.

Crusaders have gone on to lose two further games since then, but Abel (pictured above) told CruCast: “I definitely think we can win.

“When we’re at the top of our game, I think we’ll compete with anyone in the league, to be honest.

“Because, obviously, as we’ve seen in the first half (at Keighley) when we were completing high, six-all.

“Come out second half and we were completing at like 60-70 (per cent) and when you’re playing against a side like Keighley, they’ll make you pay for it.”

Crusaders have won three and lost three of their six matches in the league this season and they currently find themselves in seventh place in the table.

Carl Forster’s outfit have games in hand over the majority of the sides ahead of them, while Keighley sit second following their promising start to the campaign.