INJURY hit Lancaster never looked like picking up where they left off in sweeping aside North Wales as they were roundly beaten by Crewe.

The 44-12 scoreline was a disappointing end to the weekly rounds of the Totalrl.com season.

It was Mark Squires who provided the best moment of the first half as he anticipated Keith Hartlebury's last tackle grubber kick to gather and score by the posts.

That was in response to Michael Bates's opening try for Crewe, tying the scores at 6-6 and putting Squires level with Andy Garnett in the race to top the try scoring charts.

Crewe took the lead with a couple of penalty goals and, when Lancaster were reduced to 12 men by the sin binning of Liam Hall for a second high tackle, Crewe hooker Timothy Stuart scored under the posts to take a 16-8 half time lead.

The city men introduced Ireland international Darren Clark for his first appearance in the forwards at half time, hoping his experience and leadership would spark a comeback.

But, with early injuries for Rob Shaw and the returning Randall Raines, what followed was one of the worst halves in the club's two year history as Crewe ran in five.

For Lancaster, Liam Hall scored near the end of the game, carrying three defenders over the line on a superb 20-metre run to the line.

This week, Lancaster make the same journey in the first round of the play-offs to decide who enters the Shield competition. They will be without Shaw and Raines through injury and Clark and Walton on holiday but welcome back Matthew Craven and Greg Sykes.

Walkabout Inns Man of the Match: Mathew Walton