Posted in:
Cambridgeshire Cats,
BAFL 2
By Matt Casey
Jun 9, 2008 - 3:39:41 PM
Cambridgeshire Cats 20 Peterborough Saxons 0
The
Cambridgeshire Cats fully redressed the errors of the previous two meetings
with the Saxons to retain local bragging rights and keep the BAFL2 East title
under their direct control with an impressive defensive shutout against the
Peterborough Saxons.
Fox poses victorious mid-game!
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The
Saxons received the opening kick off but could not progress in a first quarter
that predictably saw two heralded defenses control the game. Punts were
exchanged and eventually the hosts got the better of the territorial battle,
after an offensive penalty and subsequent fumble gave Peterborough the ball 35
yards from the Cats endzone. The Cats defense once again came into its own on a
short field and eventually forced an incomplete fourth down pass from the 15
yard line. Cats running backs Minto and Fox powered through holes created by
the offensive line to move the Cats to midfield, and forced to punt pinned the
Saxons inside their own 10. The otherwise solid Cats were given an early let
off when a downfield shot was dropped by a Peterborough receiver as the quarter
drew to a close.
The
second quarter saw the Cats regain possession and quarterback Tommy “TD”
Durkin’s scrambling advanced the ball into Peterborough territory. “TD” hit Joe
“Sergeant” Slaughter from 26 yards for the touchdown and a successful point
after kick by James Wyatt saw the Cats 7-0 ahead. The next 3 possessions all
came to little as the teams traded punts, and the next meaningful action came
when TD hit Jonathan Smith over the middle, who was immediately tackled by the
Saxons safety and the ball was recovered and returned a full 80 yards for a
seeming equaliser, however a flag negated the play and once again the Cats punted
at the 2 minute warning. Trying to make something happen, Peterborough chanced
their hand with the passing game, which played right into the eager hands of
receiver turned safety Louis Cooke who intercepted in the endzone and returned
the ball to midfield. With seconds remaining, Durkin hit Revell for 48 yards,
but the Cats receiver could neither gain the remaining inches to the endzone or
get out of bounds as the last seconds of the half ticked off the clock.
Cooke intercepts in his own endzone
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The
second half saw the Cats almost add to their advantage immediately. Ally Minto
gave the visitors great field position returning the kickoff, and fellow
running back Fox opened the Saxons up splitting to wide-out and gaining 30
yards on a reception over the middle. Durkin furthered the drive with a 15 yard
scramble, but couldn’t quite find his tight end Slaughter in the endzone on the
next play. Penalties on the Cats were exacerbated by two strong Saxons stops in
the Cats backfield, and the Saxons regained the ball on their own 30 after an
incomplete endzone shot on fourth down, but immediately gave the ball back when
Cats corner Ashby rose to intercept and returned the ball just 5 yards short of
the endzone.
Smith ties the Cats receiving TD record
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Again the Saxons defense took over and backed the Cats up, who
eventually were forced to attempt a 31 yard field goal, which was pushed wide
left by Wyatt. Penalties pushed the Saxons back to their 15, and trying to gain
breathing room again went to the air; the interception by Cooke was almost
predictable. Again unable to convert the chance, the Cats traded possession and
found themselves just inside the Saxons half when they next had the ball. “TD”
found Jonathan Smith over the middle for a 45 yard score, the veteran’s 64th
receiving score for the Cats- tying the all-time record at the club.
Trailing
13-0 into the fourth quarter, the home team were forced to challenge the Cats
defensive backs further, and Ashby intelligently broke up a deep fourth down
pass to gain best field position. The Cats offensive line edged an intense
battle in the trenches, and provided running room for both Minto and Fox when
the Cats most needed the breathing space. Killing clock on a long drive, the
Cats then iced the game when Durkin once again hit Slaughter who turned up the
sideline and ran over two would be tacklers for a 27 yard score. Wyatt’s extra
point was the last meaningful action of the game as it finished 20-0 in favour
of the now 5-0 Cambridgeshire Cats.
“Sergeant” Joe Slaughter powers home
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Coach
Bice was understandably delighted by the victory over the heavily tipped
Saxons: “The result was fantastic, exactly what we had hoped for when we
travelled here today. Our O-line, defense and running backs were primed for the
contest, and executed exactly as we have been practicing. This has now put us
in prime position for the division. With this shutout win versus the Saxons,
which for the record is the Cats 100th all-time win in the regular
season, I’m sure the league will take notice and stop doubting us.”
MVP Brown with a well earned drink on a scorching day!
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Coach
Gray summed up the performance as simply “Awesome. We knew that both defenses
would be factors in today’s game, but ours was able to shutout a powerful
Saxons offense, forcing punts and turnovers. The field position we got our ever
improving offense helped ensure the win today. I am proud how the team wasn’t
panicked by the challenge of the Saxons and focused on our objectives.
Defensive backs Nate Ashby and Louis Cooke both had picks and shared the MVP
honours for D, whilst Matt Brown was our pick for game MVP with his relentless
harassment of the Saxons backfield- his sack on the first play from scrimmage
set the tone for the game and he didn’t slow down all game.”
Photos courtesy of Cambridgeshire Cats.
