Scoring (by Quarter):
Chiltern 7 6 0 6 19
Sabres  0 0 0 0 0

 

Ally Reid 80 yard interception return (Martin Homer PAT)   7 - 0
Andy Cochrane 1 yard run 13 - 0
Andy Cochrane 2 yard run 19 - 0

 

The Cheetahs opened their home fixtures on Sunday and maintained there winning record with their second victory of the season on a very hot sunny afternoon at Amersham & Chiltern Rugby Club against a plucky Sabres side.

 

Chiltern kicked off, but with the sabres offence only able to move the ball for short yardage, a punt hand the ball to the Cheetahs offence who behind the fine running of Andy Cochrane, who finished the day on 131 yards, got into the red zone, before turning the ball over on downs.  The Sabres next drive was their best of the day moving down field and inside the 20 yard line, before Ally Reid intercepted a James Dawson pass and returned it 80 yards for the opening score and also into the Cheetahs record for the longest interception return. Martin Homer kicked the extra point, his first  ever points to give the cheetahs a 7 - 0 lead.

 

In the Second quarter the Sabres where unable to gain much yardage, with Chiltern offence moving the down field with some fine runs from Cochrane and Spencer Whybrow only to have to Punt the ball away inside the Sabres half.  It was not long before the Ball was back with the Cheetahs with fine tackling by the defence and Christian Brown's sack on Dawson forcing the Sabres to punt.. Their was no stopping the offence on Chiltern's next drive capped off by Cochrane's 1 yard touchdown run, with Homer's extra point attempt wide left to give a 13- 0 half time lead.

 

Both teams struggled to move the ball in the third quarter after Chiltern's Andy Crowther had a good return of the kick-off into the visitor half, until Luke Foster's 20 yard set up another scoring chance with Darren Shepsman being tackled just short of the first down marking on 4th down.

 

The final score in the game and also his second of the day was from Chiltern's MVP Andy Cochrane in the fourth quarter on a 2 yard run The failed extra point attempt making it a 19 - 0 score line. Chiltern's defence forced a fumble on the Sabres next drive, which was recovered by Andy Maxwell (Who make playing in his first senior game) and late on in, Darren Whybrow and  Al Porter combined in sacking Chiltern's former back-up QB Jonny Alon.

 

Current standings after 16 May 2004 in British Senior League Division 2 South East Conference are as follows (team, wins, losses & win Percentage):

 

Sussex Thunder 4 0 1.000
Chiltern Cheetahs 2 0 1.000
Essex Spartans 2 1 0.667
Kent Exiles   3 2 0.600
Maidstone Pumas 0 3 0.000
Sabres   0 6 0.000

 

The only game in the conference next week sees Essex Spartans host the undefeated Sussex Thunder, before the Spartans travel to face the Cheetahs on 30th May (kick-off 2.30pm) at Amersham & Chiltern Rugby Club.

 

For further information on the Chiltern Cheetahs can be obtained from www.chilterncheetahs.com or by contacting Richard Barnes on 07710 249300 or Giles Stevenson on 01494 728371.