10th April 2005 BAFL Division Two Essex Spartans 21-20 Colchester Gladiators The Colchester Gladiators opened their first league season in a decade with a heart breaking loss to the Essex Spartans by a single point after coming back from a 14-0 deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. A last minute score from Spartans QB Aaron Griffiths to Anthony Ellis spoiled what had been heading towards the perfect start to the team’s return to action. The 13 yard reception was followed by the crucial extra point to give the Spartans the spoils of a hard fought contest. The Gladiators were slow to get going and failed to generate any offence in the first quarter. The Spartans meanwhile drove the ball downfield from the opening kickoff but turned the ball over on downs as the visitors’ defence stiffened. The Gladiators’ first possession lasted just one play as QB Keith Rogers had his first pass intercepted and returned to their own 2 yard line. The defence was in a determined mood however and tough tackling by Linebackers Simon Wilkinson and Matt Roberts, excellent coverage by the Gladiators experienced secondary, and aided by two false start penalties pushed the hosts back. On fourth down the 29 yard field goal attempt was wide left. Still the Gladiators could not generate momentum with the ball and a fumble by rookie Running Back Jamie Scott was recovered by the Spartans and the first quarter ended with them again moving the ball. Early in the second, the Spartans took the lead as Marco Duncan bulled over the line from two yards out. The extra point was good for a 7-0 lead. The Gladiators offence started to show signs of life with Scott and his rookie backfield partner Anders Bengston making some progress. But a second interception from Rogersreturned the ball to the Spartans. Another time consuming drive was constantly kept alive by the scrambling ability of QB Griffiths. Time after time he would drop back looking to pass, only to be faced with the blanket coverage by the Gladiators secondary of Jon Wyse, Andy Jay, Dave Hogarth, Nick Foxley and Bill Kendall. With no receivers open, he would take off with the ball regularly converting third and fourth downs into first downs. The Spartans were able to double their lead to 14-0 shortly before half time when a crucial fourth down was converted by another Griffiths run set up Duncan for another short touchdown run, and the kick was converted. The second half witnessed a turn around in fortunes as Bengston and Scott started to clock up the yardage and some defensive adjustments slowed down Griffiths. A fumble on the opening drive of the half hid what was to come but once again the Gladiators defence held firm and forced a punt. Wyse broke a good return to shorten the field and great blocking by George Meighan and Colin Steadman helped bring up consecutive first downs. Bengston showed a slippery style to break a run of 19 yards to the two yard line from where Scott finished the drive for his first ever touchdown. Jay Hope kicked the point after to half the deficit at 14-7. The Gladiators were back in the game a few minutes later after their offence turned the ball over, but a 15 yard penalty forced the Spartans back towards their goal line. The Spartans returned the favour and the loose ball was scooped up by Wyse who ran the ball over the line for the Glads second score. Unfortunately the extra point was missed to leave them trailing by a point at 14-13. With the Spartans offence still struggling, Brandon Plitt stepping up with a tackle for a loss and Malcolm Jay stuffing the Spartans fullback for no gain and Wyse and Foxley breaking up Griffithspasses, the fourth quarter began with the Gladiators in possession. Bengston continued to show his potential and capped the drive off with his first ever touchdown from 15 yards out. The Gladiators decided to kick the extra point as opposed to trying for the two pointer, which was slotted through by Hope, giving them a vulnerable looking six point lead at 20-14. The Gladiators suffered a blow when QB Rogers limped off holding his hamstring so Wyse took over the reins. The teams exchanged possessions three times as time ticked away but the Gladiators found themselves with the ball deep in their own half as a fourth down play again failed for the Spartans. Unfortunately the Gladiators could not move the ball and had to punt it away against the wind allowing the Spartans one last attempt as the two minute warning approached. Griffithsagain managed to convert a third down play and with 56 seconds remaining, he dropped back, checked down his receivers who were again covered, reset himself, and fired the ball down the middle of the field. The ball spilt the defenders and was caught by Wide Receiver Anthony Ellis for the tying score. Despite the Gladiators best efforts, they could not block the kick which crept through the posts giving the home team a narrow 21-20 lead. The Gladiators could not make any progress and a final fourth down bomb from Wyse fell incomplete giving the Spartans a hard earned victory. Head Coach Karl Bourke praised his team for their efforts after the game and awarded the offensive MVP award to Anders Bengston for his hard yards, and the defensive MVP to Simon Wilkinson. Chairman Dave Hogarth commented that "although the score says we lost, the fact that this team, with nearly half the squad being rookies, overturned a 14 point half time deficit and were less than a minute away from a famous win in their opening league game, against a vastly experienced team. There are a lot of positives to be taken away from the game, and our offensive skill position players, most of whom are complete rookies, will certainly benefit from the experience, and will get better as the season progresses".