ESSEX SPARTANS 14 - 0 CHILTERN CHEETAHS (H/T 8 - 0)

Chiltern faced Essex Spartans for the first time ever when they travelled to Basildon on Sunday in a game their needed to win to stand any chance of making the end of season play-off's. It would have been the first time back in the play-off since 1997 when they lost to Bristol Aztecs in the Final, but to do this the Cheetahs would first have to do something that no other Chiltern team has done in it's 16 years of existence, and that was win on an Astro pitch.

Essex kicked off and both sides exchanged punts then Chiltern offence picked up a couple of first downs with some good running by Khaled Miah on runs off 11, 17 & 9 yards with Spencer Whybrow adding another 9 yards, but failed to gain much yardage once in the Spartans half.

In the Second quarter a Chiltern fumble was recovered by the Spartans dept into Chiltern's half and soon scored a touchdown on Quarterback Aaron Griffiths 1 Yard sneak. The extra point kick was blocked by Chiltern's Darron Mayhew only for the loss ball to fall into the hands on Essex's Andrew Buckley who ran into the corner of the End zone for two points (8 - 0). Good luck was had again by Essex on the Kick-off  with the Ball bouncing over the pitch to be recovered by the Spartans before a Chiltern player could get to it.  The Cheetahs defence soon got the ball back with Abdul Lawal forcing a fumble recovered by Justin Day. But just as the Offence started to moving the ball down field with pass completion's to Conrad Patrick and David Fowler the half ended (8 - 0)

In the second half good work by the Cheetahs defence in stopping the Spartans running attack and Cornerback Ben Dunmore interception of Griffiths, lifted the Cheetahs offence as Quarterback Deniz Karagulle completed three straight passes to Spencer Whybrow and a 15 yard run a David Fowler moved the ball down field until a Karagulle pass was intercepted Matthew Price.

In the 4th Quarter the ball hardly crossed into the Essex half as Spartans Joseph Norris picked off a Karagulle pass then David Fowler had another pass intercepted on Chiltern's next drive, which the Spartans offence capitalised on with a 26 yard Touchdown pass from Griffiths to wide receiver Ken Wanlass, with a failed extra point passing attempt to leave a 14 - 0 score line with less then 2 minutes left in the game. But the Spartans Defence held out for the win as Chiltern still look for that first win on an artificial pitch.