With two of the best 3
defences in the division on show, it was not surprising that the game
had started with defenses dominating. However on the Devils second
possession, they took the ball 60 yards to open the scoring when
quarterback Troy Scmidgall found Green with an 18 yard strike. Green
then added the extra point to open up a 7 point lead.The Cats hit
straight back with a 70 yard drive of their own and quarterback Martin
Brown finished off the drive with a 1 yard dive for the score. Matt
Casey added the extra point to level the score.
It was midway through
the second quarter before the scoreboard was troubled again. An
interception by Devils linebacker Tom Lyons gave them the ball at the
Cats 5 yard line, but a strong defensive stand by the Cats restricted
Norwich to a 24 yard field goal from Green. With no more scoring in the
quarter, the Devils led 10 - 7 at the half.
The second half was
dominated by both defenses and seemed to be petering out to a low
scoring win for Norwich. Then late in the fourth quarter, the Cats
looked to have snatched the game putting together a quick-fire 71 yard
drive culminating in a 12 yard scoring pass from Brown to receiver
Gurkinder Mann. Casey's extra point kick was blocked, but the Cats led
13 - 10 with under a minute to play. It was then Green came up with the
big play, returning the kick off for the winning score. He then added
the extra point,
and so claiming all 17 of Norwich's points.
The Devils now take
their unbeaten record away to the Chiltern Cheetahs next week, before
playing the East Kent Mavericks in their last regular season home game
the week after.