Leicester Eagles won the first English Senior Flag League 5man tournament of 2004 with 3 wins out of 3. North Devon Dogs and Staffordshire A also came out of the round robin tournament unbeaten to start the year well. With seven of the best ESFL sides competing, the games were played to a good standard which has given all the clubs excellent preparation for the season ahead and especially Team USA's visit in June where there will be 2 or 3 sides who will be fancying their chances of a scalp.

Hosted by the Birmingham Raiders at Billesley Common in south Birmingham the hometown Raiders opened the tournament against the North Devon Dogs. The Dogs offense showed the oppsoition what they were about this season with 3 scores without reply and an uncomprising defense which shutout the Raiders 20-0. At the sametime on the other pitch, the Bournemouth Deckchairs went behind early on against the favoured Staffordshire A, but John Parson's run and a safety stunned the university side to take the lead 8-6. Two TD's inside the final 2 minutes (one from Ally Reid) enabled Staffordshire to run away 20-8.

The heavens then opened, and the next set of games were played in horrendous conditions as spectators sought shelter leaving Birmingham to put in an excellent display against Leicester eventually going down 21-14 with John Pimperton sealing the win, and Chichester Sharks potent offense destroying Team Extreme 25-6. With the rain stopping for the day Roy Tanton got his North Devon Dogs going by leading them to a 32-0 destruction of the Deckchairs - the Stevenson brothers and Simon Allen really doing the damage. Staffordshire A came out on top 20 zip against Extreme who called it a day after that.

In an eagerly awaited game, Leicester Eagles edged the Chichester Sharks 8-6, and then Birmingham defeated Bournemouth with ease 15-0 - Darren Kangurs scoring twice. North Devon and Staffordshire then preserved their unbeaten records with a 0-0 tie - the Dogs thereby not conceding a point on the day (the first time that has happened in BSFL/ESFL history at a 5man tournament). Late in the day, Bournemouth crumbled 20-2 to Leicester after again conceding late scores, and Birmingham were second best to Chichester 14-6 in an entertaining game at the end of the tournament.

The next ESFL 5man tournament is in Portsmouth on SATURDAY 5th June.

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