Sunday
3rd September
A sliver of the ball breaking the plane on a goal line play for six
points was enough to counter the powerful boot of Pete Rogers' 45 yard field goal to send
the Senators home and the Sundevils to Surrey next Sunday after what must rank as one of
the most tightly fought games in the league this year.If either team thought the
other was going to be a walkover, then both were sadly mistaken. Tension started early
with a penalty against Gateshead for defensive pass interference, quickly followed in the
same Southern drive by a series of flags against the Sundevils as the officials determined
to make their mark early. Gateshead regained the ball with a Ross Elliott interception of
the Sundevils' American QB Eric Lewis, but the Gateshead offense could not capitalise and
the teams traded punts for the rest of the quarter.
The second quarter saw a little more action, but Senator QB Pete Rogers was having
problems sustaining a drive in the air, and being intercepted by Sundevil Dale Powell
didn't help. Eric Lewis was sacked by Rich Marshall and Southern had to punt, but a mix up
on the Senator receiving team allowed the Sundevils to recover their own punt. But the
Gateshead defense held firm once more ending the drive. Ross Elliott got his second
interception of Lewis, and Rogers started to find some rhythm with passes to Richard Green
and running by Duncan French and John Harrison. But the half ended scoreless under the
baking sun.
The stalemate was broken in the third quarter. The Sundevils had brought another
Gateshead offensive drive to a stop but the strong boot of Pete Rogers enabled the
Senators to go for the field goal and Pete Rogers' kick was good from 45 yards to put the
first points on the board. But then each team found the other hard to break, with the
Sundevil defense stopping the Senators despite some good gains with the ground game, and
the Senator defense shutting down the Sundevils' passing game and limiting the ground
game.
The fourth quarter started with a further exchange of punts and it looked as though
Gateshead could get through with that field goal. But then Roland Quayle intercepted Pete
Rogers and achieved excellent field position for the Sundevils. In the last minutes of the
game Scott Miller brought Southern a 1st and goal at the 6. A play later and the ball was
millimetres from the goal line. On the snap there was a surge of Sundevil yellow and
Senator white above which reached forward a yellow clad arm holding the ball which was
then knocked back. It would all depend whether the ball had broken the plane. Southern
gleefully indicated Touchdown, while Gateshead shook their heads. The officials made no
signal. The argument raged around the pile up and after 28 seconds, the referee signalled
for the Southern score. Their two point attempt was no good, making the score 3-6. Another
Senator drive came to nothing and the game ended as Southern were about to take possession
again.
So it's Southern Sundevils who progress to meet their division rivals PA Knights,
Gateshead's dream is over - but only for this year. |