BSFL Week 1 - Game Report

The BSFL kicked off this weekend, with fixtures being played in Leicester and Bournemouth. The Leicester Eagles took on their arch-rivals, the Fen Harriers, in a one-off league fixture, whilst down on the South Coast, the hometown Bournemouth Raiders hosted a 4-team tournament also involving last season’s runners-up, the Invicta Coyotes, the Chichester Sharks and the Brighton Tsunami.

Bournemouth Raiders 36 Chichester Sharks 8

In the opening game of the 4-team tournament in Bournemouth, it was the hometown Raiders who got their season off to a great start with a convincing win against the Sharks, who were playing their first ever game off flag football.

The Raiders, with a new look O-Line, scored on their first 3 possessions, with QB Brad Smith running in all 3 TD’s as the Raiders went into the break leading 22-0. Mark Elliott ran in 2 2-PAT’s, and Lee Eatly caught a further one from Brad Smith. The Sharks came back into it early in the second half with some impressive passing plays, and scored on a tipped pass from QB Nick Watson to WR Krystian Sordyl. The 2 PAT was added by Nick Watson to close the scoreline to 22-8.

The Raiders, however, kept up their relentless ground game. QB Brad Smith ran in another TD from distance, as he and RB Mark Elliott both racked up 100 yard games. The Raiders defense tightened their grip in the second half with notable contributions from Vincent Gurrea and Jon Wells (who caught an interception).

Smith fired in a TD from 35 yards out to WR Patrick Pflander to round off the scoring as the Raiders ran out 36-8 winners.

Brighton Tsunami 14-26 Invicta Coyotes

Brighton, in their first game also, took on last season’s runners-up the Invicta Coyotes in what turned out to be the game of the day.

The Coyotes came flying out of the blocks, and scored on their first drive. QB Lewis Button hitting WR Dave Austin from 25 yards out to go 6-0 up. Brighton came right back, with WR Shaun Holder hauling in a 55 yard catch and run TD to level things up at 6-6. Both defenses produced strong performances to keep the scoreline to 6-6 at half-time.

Invicta launched a 13 minute drive in the second half, which culminated in another Button to Austin hook up on a fade from 5 yards out. The 2 PAT from Button to Mike Whitby gave the Coyotes a 14-6 lead. Brighton came back again, when QB Rich Tongue took a bootleg in from 65 yards out for the TD. The 2 PAT from Emery to Holder tied the scores again.

With 13 seconds left in the game, the Coyotes scored the clinching TD when WR Mark Boreham caught a 5 yard slant for the winning score. The victory was iced on the last play of the game when LB Darren Hunt returned an interception for a 60 yard return leaving a final score of 26-14.

Bournemouth Raiders 34 Brighton Tsunami 0

The Bournemouth Raiders carried on where they left off in their first game with a punishing ground attack against the tiring Tsunami (who were playing back to back games).

Brad Smith ran in a disputed TD from 25 yards to open the scoring for the Raiders, and put them 6-0 up. Despite the efforts of QB Chris Emery, and Richard Tongue the Tsunami couldn’t get things going against the swarming Raiders defense led by the front 4 of Lee Eatly, Kirk O’Field, Matt Hemsley and Tom Jenkins. Following a Matt Heasman interception, Mark Elliott scored his first TD of the season running in from 35 yards out, and Jon Wells grabbed the 2 PAT from Brad Smith as the Raiders went into the break 14-0 up.

Brighton started the second half well driving deep into Raiders territory, but the Raiders defense held firm. The Raiders continued where they left off in the first half with a further running TD from Mark Elliott from 5 yards out. Brad Smith connected on a slant to Tim Smith who ran in the TD from 50 yards out. Tim Smith caught the 2 PAT from Matt Heasman. The Raiders defense earnt their shut-out, and then Tim Smith threw TD to Richard Tollervey to round off the scoring on the last play.

Invicta Coyotes 34 Chichester Sharks 2

The Coyotes rounded off a fine day for themselves with their second win. After scoring on their opening possession to go 6-0 up, the Sharks Jason Davis intercepted the 2 PAT pass, and returned it 101 yards for the 2 PAT for the Sharks! With the scoreline at 6-2, the Coyotes stepped up a gear to score two further TD’s before half-time to go in 20-2 up.

The Sharks, who acquitted themselves well in their opening games, continued their all-out passing attack in the second half, and despite completing numerous passes couldn’t quite punch it in. Julian Simms added a sack for the Sharks but his efforts weren’t enough. The Coyotes scored 2 further TD’s in the second half to run out 34-2 winners.

Leicester Eagles 21 Fen Harriers 6

Leicester Eagles defense dominated a hard fought encounter between these two arch rivals. Harriers QB Martin Brown was sacked 6 times in the first half alone as the swarming Eagles defense snuffed out the Harriers offense.

An early score from RB Rich Manning to put Leicester ahead with TE James Pimperton adding the extra point on a pass from QB Chris Wild to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The game, however, remained tight, as Leicester’s own offensive unit failed to capitalize on their early dominance and the Fen defensive unit stepped up the intensity and making crucial tackles to leave the half time score 7-0 to Leicester.

Eagles defense continued where they left off in the second half and despite the second half introduction of international RB Paul Griffiths, Fen still failed to break the stranglehold. Leicester finally got the score to take them clear when RB Craig Broughton hit WR James Hossack on an option pass and RB Ryan Melbourne sped in for the extra point to put the Eagles 14-0 ahead in the third quarter.

Rich Manning added a sixth QB sack to his tally in the second half and with Craig Broughton, Martin Gwilliam and Alan O’Sullivan adding their own sacks, the Eagles defense remained in full control despite a fierce battle up front with the determined and aggressive, never-say-die Harriers offense.

Eagles finally iced the game with rookie RB Ryan Melbourne evading Harrier’s tacklers to score from distance and to put the home side clear. Eagles back up QB John Pimperton hit WR Steve McCellan in the endzone for the extra point to give Leicester an unassailable 21-0 lead in the fourth quarter.

The Harriers though refused to give the game up as lost and hit back immediately. WR Adam Heap grabbed a Martin Brown pass and outran the Leicester cover to give the Cambridge based team a well deserved score. Time, however, was against the Harriers and the home side closed out the game, nearly scoring again on the final play of the match when WR Jeff Brown’s elusive run after catching a perfectly thrown John Pimperton pass ended just yard short of the zone as time ran out.