The Renegades sideline was stunned by the opening kickoff
return, as
Leicester’s Chris Rodrigo returned
the ball 73 yards for a touchdown. A flag on the play cut short any
celebrations though – for all of one play. On the re-kick, Rodrigo repeated the
feat, returning the ball 78yds for the score. The conversion attempt was no good – 6-0 to
Leicester.
Both teams then put together well-crafted drives.
Berkshire quarterback Paul Waddington connected with
Simon Pearce for a healthy gain on first down, and some tenacious running by
running back Ian Lakin helped the Renegades move to midfield. The drive stalled
though, and the ball was punted to the Falcons. The home team put together a 17
play, 70 yard drive on the back of strong running by Timi Dada and Kalpesh
Maisuria. The Renegades defense held firm though, with solid tackling by Steve
Fox and Neal Kent inside the 10 yard line.
Leicester
had to settle for a 24 yard field goal from Stefan Brooks, and at the end of
the first quarter the score was 9-0 to the home team.
Berkshires defense struck at the start of the second
quarter, when defensive back Chris Hollands picked off a pass from Brad
Thompson and returned it 16 yards.
Berkshire
could only go three-and-out on the ensuing drive though, and the teams traded
punts. The Renegades returned the turnover favour though, as the Falcons
pounced on a bobbled handoff. They wasted no time in scoring, as Thompson
crossed the line from 4 yards out. A broken point-after play was no good, and
the lead had now stretched to 15-0.
On the next drive, Lakin’s success on the ground for
Berkshire continued, and combined with a long completion from Waddington to
James White, the Renegades moved the ball into the
Leicester
redzone. Another fumble pushed the ball back, and Pearce’s 34 yard field goal
attempt was blocked.
Leicester would stretch
the lead further before the half, as Thompson dived over the pile from a yard
out for his second score of the day. Brooks’ point-after kick was good, and it
was 22-0 at the break.
Berkshire started the
second half strongly on offense, Waddington finding Pearce three times for good
gains. The Renegades were forced to punt again, and the Falcons responded with
another controlled drive, this time going 84 yards in 9 plays, ending with Dada
breaking through the Renegades defense for a 22 yard score. Brooks’s
point-after was again good, and it was 29-0.
The Renegades punted again, and then the defense gave the
Berkshire team good field position as first defensive lineman Martin McGuire
sacked quarterback Rob Wylie for a seven yard loss, and then they stifled a
fake punt to get the ball in the Falcons’ half. Another solid drive proved
fruitless though, as despite more success from the Waddington-Pearce
combination,
Berkshire were unable to cross
the goalline.
Leicester broke another big
play at the start of the fourth quarter, as Wylie connected with Ben Williams
who wrestled away from tackles for a 63 yard touchdown. The point-after kick
was no good, and it was now 35-0.
Then the teams traded interceptions. Firstly, Steve Fox
picked off Wylie. Then Waddington was intercepted on the very next play.
Finally, Ian Hiscock jumped on a Wylie pass at the
Berkshire
4 yard line, returning it 34 yards.
Berkshire
faltered around midfield, and had to punt. The day was rounded off with another
stunning score from
Leicester, as Dada raced
71 yards for his second of the day. The point-after kick was no good, and with
Berkshire unable to get a consolation score in the dying
moments, the final score read 41-0.
