Beach Bowl IV - Game Report

The 2004 BYAFA Youth Flag champions, the South Wales Rebellion, surprised their senior flag counterparts with a stunning performance at Beach Bowl IV in Andover. The highlight of the English Senior Flag League 5man season saw the Rebellion sweep through their qualifying group enroute to the final where they defeated the hosts, Andover Thrashers A, 21-12 to clinch the tournament title.

Andover Thrashers superbly hosted the tournament played in great spirit throughout, and the eight competing sides were split into two qualifying pools of four teams. In Pool A, Andover Thrashers A crushed Team Pumpkin 28-0, and then ensued two of the best games of the season. Chichester Sharks tied 19-19 with The Barbarians, with the Barbarians tieing the game in the final seconds. In the next game, the Sharks again were foiled with a 13-13 draw with Andover A when the lead swapped hands twice in the final few minutes. The Barbarians kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the final with a 19-0 win over Team Pumpkin, but they were denied when Andover defeated them 13-8. Chichester salvaged second place in the group by thumping Team Pumpkin 26-6 in the final pool game.

In Pool B, the youngsters from South Wales opened up against Andover Thrashers B. After a quiet opening the Rebellion opened up and blew away the Thrashers 30-0. Another new team, the Chatham Sharks, then took on the current ESFL league leaders Bournemouth Raiders, but after a scoreless first half, the Raiders pulled away to a 19-0 win on the back of Matt Heasman's two TD passes and Abdul Lawal's interception return for a TD. Chatham then took on Andover, and it was the Sharks who won their first ever game 28-7. South Wales continued their fine run with a convincing 20-0 win over Bournemouth, and then followed that off by clinching the group and a place in the final with a thumping 26-7 over Chatham. Bournemouth clinched 2nd spot in the pool with a 32-0 win over Andover Thrashers B thanks to 4 interception returns for TDs in the second half.

In the final, both South Wales and Andover Thrashers A put on a superb display of 5man football, but it was the Rebellion who triumphed 21-12.

Bournemouth clinched third place with a 7-6 win over Chichester. Nick Watson hit Pete Steele on a bomb right at the end of the first half, but crucially Nick Michael sacked Watson to prevent the 1PAT. Bournemouth tied the scores on a trick play when Michael as running back hooked up with Abdul Lawal from distance, and Heasman picked out Nick Michael for the clinching 1PAT.

In fading light, the Barbarians defeated Chatham Sharks for 5th place with a 20-6 victory with Adam Duffy throwing for 3 scores.