What a difference a week makes.
This time last week we were .500 for the
season and looking to improve, we knew Dundee would be worthy opponents, but they proved just too much for the Rams at Dawson Park in Sunny, but windy and cold, Scotland.
The full match
report is below and you can also see it with photos at www.yorkshirerams.com
We hope to get back to winning ways this Saturday, with the visit of
Staffordshire Surge to the John Charles Centre For Sport in South Leeds.
We did the double over them last season and to open the year, we are having a special entry promotion, with prices at £3 for adults and £1 for under 16s. So a family of four can get in for only £8....
Come along, enjoy the game, cheerleaders, fully licensed bar, music, commentator and full on SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ATMOSPHERE.
Have a chat
with the game day management or mingle with the players and coaches after the
game in the Grandstand Bar and enquire about getting involved.
You are
always welcome.
Rams Pull Up Late And Short At Dundee
Dundee Hurricanes 33 - Rams 12
The Hurricanes welcomed the Yorkshire Rams to Dawson Park on Sunday for the Canes inaugural BAFL 1 game. The Rams team coach was a late starter earlier that morning, so with the minimum of warm up time, the Rams literally got off the bus, got changed and entered the field of play to start the game. The game
started in beautiful sunshine but a chilly wind was making passing hard around
the field so the Canes reverted to what they do best and several powerful runs
from Mahamadou Niakate and Lars Halford soon put the home side in the Rams
half, Bruce Thomson then went to the air and connected with Darren Henderson
for the historic first score Mahamadou Niakate added the extra point for a 7-0
lead. The teams then traded drives for the rest of the quarter with none of
them finding the end zone.
The second quarter was all going the Rams way until brother of Rams fullback Graham; Fraser Thomson intercepted an Andy Green pass and ran it back for a 52 yard touchdown. That was to be the only score of the half and Dundee went into the half time break with a 13-0 lead.
Yorkshire came out after the break determined to narrow the lead and mid way through the quarter they drove up the field and with strong running from game MVP Justin Lester powered their way into the end zone, Randy Pryce making the run, to narrow the deficit to 13-6,now there was a game to be played but with the Rams defense, ably led by new signing Richard Marshall on the defensive line, there was no further score to be had in the third quarter from the canny Scots.
The fourth quarter saw the Rams determined to get back into the game but the Canes were out to finish the visitors comeback. Mahamadou Niakate was showing his class by now and started to look like he would be the game winner, when he burst through from 24 yards to open the lead back to 19-6, he then added the extra point himself. Dundee now had a hold of the game and another Niakate touchdown this time from 3 yards seemed to make it mission impossible for the visitors. The Rams never gave up and got their second score of the day, an Andy Green pass to his Hallam University team mate David Saul to narrow the score to 26-12. Niakate wasn't finished however and added a final touchdown and extra point to give the win in Dundee at 33-12 to the Canes.
The scoreline was not a true reflection of how close the game was, with the Rams also having two touchdowns negated with penalty flags on consecutive plays, but beside that Rams Head Coach Orlando Weekes was upbeat about the fighting performance from his team.
BAFL Player of the week, Mahamadou Niakate was the leading Hurricanes player by far, but they are far from a one man team and their return to the John Charles is keenly awaited by the Rams, keen to gain a victory for their fans in South Leeds.
Leading Stats for the Rams were as follows:
RAMS MVP:
Justin Lester - Running Back
17 carries
78 yards
Also mentioned in dispatches were:
Rushing
Randy Pryce
9 carries
49 yards
1 touchdown 28yards
Receiving
Ben Barker
52 yards
David Saul
3 catches
34 yards
1 touchdown 12 yards
Defense
Richard Marshall
13 tackles
1 sack
Also,
Matt Harkin
Phil Keeling
Danny Thompson
9 tackles
Martin Steel
7 tackles
Thanks to Charlie at Dundee for the Hurricane's details