Dewsbury Rams aiming to avoid back-to-back league defeats for first time this season at table-topping North Wales Crusaders

After each of the Rams’ five League 1 defeats in 2025, they have remained unbeaten in the following game, with a record of four wins and one draw.

The latest setback though - a 22-16 loss at lowly Keighley Cougars, despite a resurgent second half display, which kept Dewsbury outside of the top four - has provided Paul March with the most difficult challenge yet to continue the getting-back-on-the-horse trend: a visit to table-topping North Wales Crusaders this Sunday, July 13 (kick off 2.30pm).

The Welsh outfit have only lost one of their opening 11 games and are three points clear of second place Midlands Hurricanes, with a game in hand.

Head coach March said: “The frustrating thing for me is we have got a squad capable of winning games, instead of losing and then having to win back.

It’s going to be a tough game at North Wales. They are a good side who are coached well.

“We have got to go there and play like we did in the second half at Keighley. We can’t just go and dip our toe in. We did that at Keighley in the first half. We dipped our toe in and got burnt.

“We have got to take the game to them. If we do that then we can make it a contest. If we don’t then we could be on the back foot.”

On his side’s performance at Cougar Park, March added:

“I was disappointed in the way we started the game. In the first 15 minutes we were like rabbits in headlights. A couple of players missed tackles, they ended up scoring and heads went a bit.

“I was pleased with the way we reacted at half-time after we spoke about our effort areas and what we needed to do to fix it up. We came out in the second half and we took the game to Keighley.

“They had already used five subs in the first half so we knew late on in the game we could get at them. And we did. But it was five minutes too short.

“If there were another five minutes we would have probably taken it. Credit it to them with how they started the game. That is what won them it.”

Giving an update on how he sees the current League 1 standings, March said:

“There’s still a long way to go. There will be more twists and turns to come in the next six games. We are playing teams around us so we will have a big say in where we finish and where others can finish.”

March also revealed that Toby Everett suffered a broken thumb at Keighley, while Louis Collinson had an accident in training, meaning both will be out “for some time.” He also confirmed that Will Shaw had left the club by mutual consent.

March said: “I am hoping to bring in a few players before the deadline which will give us that extra push before the end of the season.”