NORTH WALES CRUSADERS’ play-off hopes are hanging by a thread as Hunslet claimed a comeback 28-20 triumph yesterday.

Crusaders came firing out of the blocks against their third-placed hosts and claimed the lead in the eighth minute at the South Leeds Stadium.

Ben Lane grabbed a converted try to hand Crusaders the ideal start. Things got even better for Carl Forster’s side when they extended their advantage in the 24th minute.

Skipper Chris Barratt barged his way over the whitewash and Lane duly added the extras.

More Crusaders’ joy came after half-an-hour via Kieron Taylor’s score and Lane’s conversion stretched the lead out to 18 points.

This was cut to 12 points just a couple of minutes prior to the interval as Jude Ferreira’s try was converted by Matty Beharrell.

Cru opened the second half scoring with a Lane penalty 10 minutes after the restart, but it was game on again when Hunslet grabbed two tries in the space of just three minutes.

Jordan Syme and Ethan Wood claimed the scores, both of which were converted by Beharrell.

Hunslet claimed the lead for the first time with 13 minutes left to play.

Jimmy Watson bagged an unconverted try to give the hosts a two-point advantage.

It was game over when Hunslet secured their match-winning score three minutes from time.

Mackenzie Turner crossed the whitewash and Beharrell duly added the extras.

Head coach Forster has stressed that anything can happen between now and the end of the season.

North Wales Crusaders are involved with Midlands Hurricanes and Workington Town in a fight to secure the final two spots in the end-of-season League One play-offs.

Anthony Murray’s Workington Town will conclude their season against title favourites Oldham, while Crusaders face Rochdale Hornets and Cornwall in their final two matches.

Head coach Forster told CruCast: “Don’t get me wrong, Oldham would have won the league by the last game of the season. Do they rest people?

“Obviously, that might be Muzz’s last game. Do they get a rallying call from Workington?

“You just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“We just kind of need to look after ourselves, put ourselves in our own little bubble, like we did this time last season and just go and try and knock off some wins and if we do that, we’ll see where it puts us.

“You never know, we might end up fifth and get a home quarter-final. That’s how tight it is.

“So, we can’t write anything off.

“We know we’ve got the capabilities of going three from three, but let’s be honest, if we don’t show up on these Sundays, we could go zero from three.

“So, that’s us being on the money in training, which has been real good as of late and obviously backing that up on a Sunday.”

Oldham made sure they clinched the League One title with their 20-12 win at second-placed Keighley Cougars.

Midlands Hurricanes look decent bets for the play-offs as they ground out an 18-6 success at Cornwall.