Sunday’s North Wales Crusaders’ event at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay was a massive success with 1,088 fans, including many who were new to rugby league, attending their 1895 Cup match against Widnes Vikings.

It was the first time that the Crusaders have attracted a four-figure crowd since moving to Colwyn Bay, and their highest attendance at home in nearly six years.

The club made the match an event. Over 100 children took part in pre-match and half-time on-field mini-games and the hospitality suite was sold to capacity.

Widnes, who play in the division above the Crusaders, eventually won the match 30-14, but not before Crusaders had gone 10-0 up early in the game. Welsh internationals were among the scorers on each side, and the S4C cameras were there to film it, with a feature being shown on “Heno” at 7pm tonight (Tuesday).

Jonathan Burgess, from the North Wales Crusaders Foundation, was delighted that the afternoon was a success.

He said: “We had over 100 children aged 7-10 playing in our pre-match engagement programme, something which we have developed massively during the off-season to enhance the Mini-Crusaders programme the Foundation set up last year.

“It was wonderful to see over 1,000 people attending the game. It was a tough result for the Crusaders, we battled well against a Championship side.

“The Foundation has done some amazing work over the past 12 months, engaging with over 10,000 children across North Wales and this will only get larger as the Foundation has extended its hub programme from four to six hubs, adding new hubs in the Vale of Clwyd and Gwynedd districts.”

Crusaders chairman Ian Edwards adds: “It was great that S4C’s visit coincided with North Wales Crusaders’ highest home attendance since leaving The Racecourse.

“It was a hugely positive day for North Wales Crusaders that gives us great encouragement about the direction in which the club is heading.”

Read more about the North Wales Crusaders Foundation at https://www.northwalescrusadersrlfc.co.uk/foundation