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Cambridgeshire Cats 7
Colchester Gladiators 27
The Colchester Gladiators
produced one of their best performances in recent history as they upset the
form book and the visiting, and previously unbeaten, Cats from Cambridgeshire.
The Cats brought a proud 6-0 record to Broad Lane and were possibly guilty of
underestimating the home side that entered the game at 3-2.
The Gladiators players and
coaches had the benefit of some game film of their opposition to dissect and
from which to construct a game plan aimed at taking away their strengths and
force them out of their comfort zone. They successfully achieved this throughout
the game coming up with big plays and turnovers when they were needed.
Cambridgeshire had the better of the opening exchanges
after winning the toss and electing to receive the ball. A scramble and throw
on the run by dangerous quarterback Tommy Durkin converted a third down deep in
the Gladiators’ half but a sack by Ricky Bacon for a 13 yard loss forced them
to punt which rolled to the Gladiators’ one yard line.
Beginning a drive so close to your own goal line is
never easy and the Cats were able to send pressure to keep the Gladiators
pinned back and forced a punt after just three plays, giving them the ball back
in good field position on the Gladiators 43.
After gaining a couple of
first downs, safety Nick Foxley sacked Durkin but a roughing the passer penalty
on fourth down gave the Cats another chance. Further pressure from the
aggressive Gladiators defense brought another sack, this time by Mark Gilbranch
and Bacon, and a fourth down pass fell incomplete. The Cats had a break towards
the end of the first quarter after another sack by Dan Johnson and Christian
Steward forced the Cats to punt. Leo Beckford was hit as he caught the ball
resulting in a fumble and they had the ball back on the home team’s 26. But
Scott Taylor and Tom Clarke batted down passes on second and third downs and
the fourth down pass was also incomplete and the ball was turned over on downs
to the Gladiators.
A fifteen yard penalty
against the Cats moved the ball to midfield, and two plays later; Beckford made
amends for his earlier error, by bursting up the middle for a spectacular 41
yard score. Alex Robinson slotted the extra point to give the Gladiators a 7-0
lead. The Cats again made some ground but more solid play by the secondary
ensured another turnover on downs as Clarke swatted away a fourth down pass.
Colchester then put
together their best drive of the day as the quarter came to a close, driving 63
yards in eight plays, with Robinson sweeping in from a yard out after a bold
call from Head Coach Matt Roberts to go for it on fourth down. Robinson converted
for a 14-0 lead.
The importance of the
final minute’s play was confirmed when the Gladiators received the ball to
start the second half and took just five plays to add to their tally as
Beckford again broke through the line behind some great blocking from George
Meighan and Paul Bovingdon to complete a 45 yard touchdown run. Robinson made
it three out of three extra points to leave the Cats in a hole, 21-0 down.
Another promising Cats
drive was thwarted by strong fourth down play as Gilbranch and Brad Stephenson
combined to halt Cats running back Alastair Minto a yard short of the first
down marker. However, after a three and out, the Cats again had great field position
but an interception by Foxley regained the ball for the Gladiators.
Both sides failed to move
the ball as the fourth quarter began but the Gladiators’ defense made another
statement as the Cats regained the ball and tried to move the ball through the
air. Taylor stepped in front of the intended receiver for the interception,
collected a couple of blocks and returned the ball 50 yards for the touchdown.
The extra point failed but the lead was now 27 points. The Cats had to move the
ball quickly if they were to have any chance of rescuing the game but a
disastrous fumble on their next snap handed the ball back to the Gladiators.
The Cats defense stepped up to record a stop on fourth down and an interception
to try to inspire their offense but the Gladiators ‘D’ was also up to the task.
Another stop on fourth down when Phill Pearson broke up a pass regained the
ball for the Gladiators but the Cats were determined to get something from the
game and not suffer the indignity of a shut out.
Playing to the final
whistle, they eventually penetrated the Colchester defense converting two
fourth downs including the final play of the game, as Louis Cooke held on to a
Durkin pass in the endzone for the consolation score. The extra point was good
to leave the final score at 27-7.
Head Coach Matt Roberts
was ecstatic after the game and said, “I was delighted with the team effort
today. It's great to see myself and the coaches put together a game plan
after time spent studying film and scouting for the players, to
then have them step up and play their most complete game of the season really
feels great; and to be the first team this year to beat a very strong Cats team
really is credit to where we're taking this team. There is still so much we
have to work on, from guys getting in the gym, a few bangs and scrapes needing
to heal up to us coaches working harder to correct a few things. But what I
hope we've shown is that as a team when we all pull together we have the raw
talent and coaching to compete with anyone in the division, so the future and
where we go is very much in our own hands.”
The Gladiators now look to
their next fixture, at home to the East Kent Mavericks who defeated the
Gladiators by a slender 7-0 scoreline back in April. After such a great
performance confidence will be high and the Gladiators will be looking to
avenge the earlier reverse.
Full details of the
Gladiators fixtures, together with latest results and news, can be found on the
all new Gladiators website due for launch in the next few days, at
www.colchestergladiators.com.