9th May 2004
BSL Division One
Chester Romans 12-33 Yorkshire Rams
The Rams got to winning ways on
Sunday with a good all round performance away at the Chester Romans. Two
touchdowns by Jay Alexander set the trend for the game and excellent defence
allowed Yorkshire to keep their points lead intact.
The Rams kicked the game off and with
their defence not allowing anything through and Chester had to punt which ended
deep in Yorkshires half. Jay Alexander gave the visitors the best of starts
just four minutes into the game when on the Rams second play of the first drive
he broke round the end and rumbled 69 yards for the score. Simon Dewdney split
the posts to make it 7-0. Both defences then came into being with neither team
moving the ball with any effect but the quarter finished with some good runs by
the Romans.
The
second period started with Chester still driving the ball but the Rams D
stood their ground and the home side went for a 33 yard field goal which just
went wide. Yorkshire scored quickly again when Justin Lester was handed the
pigskin and breaking three tackles went down the sideline for a 74 yard gain but
was unluckily chased down at the Romans one yard line. On the next play
Alexander smashed through the middle for the six. Dewdney again stepped up and
the kick was good. 14-0. Chester started to string some good plays together
after the kick off and helped by Yorkshires penalties got to Rams 40 yard
marker. A well judged pass from James Keogh to Jonathan Manning pushed the Rams
back deep in their own half and then were unlucky not to get a score but the TD
run was pulled back on a penalty. Chester very nearly scored a safety near the
end of the half when more penalties by the Rams pushed them to their own 2 yard
line. On the snap, the Romans broke through to get hold of quarterback Paul
Sherrat but he managed to break free and scramble away out of danger before
being brought down.
Yorkshire started the third quarter
much like the previous two, with a scoring drive. Dewdney, replacing the injured
Sherrat, hit Paul Calvert with a 26 yard pass at the Romans 38 yard marker to
start things moving. Powerful runs by Alexander and Rich Handby drove the ball
to the home sides 5 yard line from where Dewdney connected with new signing, JJ
Forder, in the endzone to increase the scoreline. The one pointer by Dewdney
made it 21-0. Another good show from Yorkshires defence forced Chester to punt
but the Rams allowed a score when Dewdney was intercepted by Henry Abel who
returned the ball 20 yards to put points on the board for the Romans.
Yorkshires Dave Jackson broke through to block the kick leaving the score 21-6.
A superb return by Calvert from the kick off put the Rams on the advantage but
after making some ground the Romans defence held them back and forced the punt
as the quarter closed.
The final period saw Chester moving
the ball well with some good runs by Leon Cordingley, who was awarded an MVP by
the Rams for an excellent game. Yorkshires defence then stepped up and halted
Chesters march who had to punt which started a drive for a Yorkshire score.
Good runs by Alexander, Lester and Neil Stubbs ended with the ball on Chesters
eight and the score came with Lesters untouched run into the endzone making it
27-6. Chester then started to raise their game and pulled some points back mid
way through the period with a one yard scoring run by Peter Tootle, the kick
went wide to leave the score 27-12. With both defences holding for a while it
was close to the two minute warning before Yorkshires final score. Having being
pushed back to their own five yard line Chester had to punt giving possession to
the visitors then followed a good drive by the Rams which was topped by a ten
yard pass from Rik Lowthion to Justin Kirby who was all alone in the endzone
making the final score 33-12. Yorkshires Andy Hill got a sack on Keogh making
the home side to try and force a consolation score but the final pass of the
game was intercepted by Rams MVP Tim Adams to bring the game to a close.
Yorkshires next game is the second
part of the Rose Bowl trophy against the Lancashire Wolverines on Sunday 23rd
May. It will be at the Ram Stadium near Dewsbury with the kick off at 2:30 pm. |