BSFL Week 3 - Game Report

The Invicta Coyotes maintained their 100% record with a narrow 6-0 win against the Fen Harriers yesterday. The Harriers had earlier convincingly beaten the London Hurricanes 44-14.

London Hurricanes 14-44 Fen Harriers

The Harriers improved to 3-1 with their third straight win of the season with a comprehensive 44-14 victory over the Hurricanes. Martin Brown opened the scoring with a pass to Nick Moffat. A repeat of this hook-up added the 2 PAT, and the Harriers had an early 8-0 lead. With the Hurricanes turning the ball over on downs on their first possession, the Harriers made them pay with another quick-fire TD, on a Brown run as the Harriers went 16-0 ahead (Paul Gates added the 2 PAT on another run).

The Hurricanes got back into the game on the next drive, when QB John Kelleher hit WR Richard Law on an out pattern in the corner of the endzone. Law added the 2 PAT to pull the scoreline back to 16-8.

However, the twin running threat of Paul Gates and Paul Griffiths for the Harriers was a combination that continually worked all game on sweep plays. Their running on the Harriers next drive, led to Gates running in another one himself from distance to put the Harriers 24-8 up (with Moffat adding the 2 PAT). On the stroke of half-time, Brown threw another TD to Moffatt on a crossing pattern to give the Harriers a 30-8 lead.

The Harriers continued to rack up the points in the second half with eligible lineman Matt Ranson scoring his first TD in his 10 year career on a short pass to the back of the endzone from Brown. Brown added the 2 PAT himself to put the Harriers 38-8 up, and then Brown threw his 4th TD of the day and his 3rd to Moffat to finish the Harriers scoring. The Hurricanes never gave up though, with Kelleher and Law linking up well, and Kelleher completed the games scoring on an 11 yard QB sneak.

Fen Harriers 0-6 Invicta Coyotes

In one of the best defensive flag football games in recent times, the Coyotes edged out the Harriers 6-0 to keep their 100% record for the season.

In an even first half, neither side made many yards to speak of as both sides put on a great defensive show. Sacks from David Parr, Gary Brown and a drive breaking one from Matt Ranson led the way for the Harriers, and on the Coyotes side a huge sack from DE Brian Adams crushed one Harrier drive and a number of crucial tackles by Steve Wiggley stopped promising Harriers runs up the middle. With defenses on top, the game was scoreless at half-time.

A turnover looked like the only way any points would be scored, and it came when Harriers QB Martin Brown had a pass tipped and then intercepted by Coyotes Safety Glenn Lindley. On the next play, RB Gibbon Wright ran through a huge hole in the Harriers D Line and ran in from 41 yards out (see below) to put the Coyotes 6-0 ahead.

As the Harriers searched for a way back into the game, Paul Gates broke free on a 32 yard run, and only a game saving tackle from Lindley prevented the Harriers tying the scores up. Adams grabbed a second sack of the game for a large loss of yards, that effectively killed that Harriers drive as Brown was forced to throw deep into coverage for first down yardage. The ball was turned over on downs, and QB Lewis Button then took a knee to run out the clock. The Harriers dropped to 3-2, and now face a tough fixture against Leicester, whilst the Coyotes improved to 4-0 after they gained a walk-over win against the Hurricanes, who were forced to concede due to a couple of injuries.