OXFORD RL let a half-time lead slip as they finished the season with a 28-14 defeat at North Wales Crusaders.

Tries from Matthew Davies and Jordan Gilll helped the visitors into a 10-6 advantage at the Queensway Stadium.

But the hosts fought back with four tries after the break in Wrexham, which saw the Blues finish fifth in the Kingstone Press League 1 Shield.

The Crusaders had won 52-20 at Tilsley Park in July, but they were on the back foot early on.

Oxford had already threatened before Davies powered over for the opening score.

It took until the half-hour mark for the Crusaders to respond, edging ahead through Earl Hurst’s try, converted by Tommy Johnson.

But Oxford’s lead was quickly restored when Gill dived over in the corner and Kieran Hyde converted.

Crusaders carried far more of a threat in the second half, though, and within three minutes of the restart James Dandy scored.

Dale Bloomfield stretched the lead, before Dandy added his second try, exploiting Oxford’s numerical disadvantage after James Cryer was show a yellow card for dissent.

Cryer made amends with a try, but Alex Davidson had the final word and Johnson added his fourth conversion from five attempts to seal the victory.