Thunder take the Pain Train.

 
Oxford Saints 7 Sussex Thunder 27

The Thunder moved to 5 wins and 2 losses on the season and in the process moved to the top of the BAFL 1 South table with victory against the Oxford Saints, completing the season double over their arch rivals with an all round team performance at Bewbush Leisure Centre on Sunday. Two touchdowns from running back Chris Lampey and a brace from wide receiver Adam Fishlock, coupled with another outstanding defensive display moved the Thunder nearer the play offs.

Chris Lampey ended the day with 2 touchdowns.

Oxford brought their vaunted “Pain Train” defense to town, hoping to avenge the Thunder’s win in the first game of the season. But it was the Thunder who came out flying, with Dale Smart intercepting Saints’ quarterback Jay Taylor on Oxford’s first series leading to a Chris Percival 28 yard field goal. On Oxfords next possession, another interception, this time from Chris Jones, led to Lampey taking the ball home from three yards out, giving the Thunder a 9-0 lead early in the game. The remainder of the first half saw numerous changes of possession, but not many threats to the scorers, and Sussex maintained the advantage at the interval.

Oxford caught Sussex napping when Ross Gouldie returned the second half kick off 81 yards to the Thunder one yard line. Only a last gasp tackle from Carlos Gomes prevented a spectacular touchdown return. Two plays later Oxford put their only points on the board as Taylor plunged over for the score, narrowing the gap to 9-7.

As seems to be the norm this season when the opposition manage to score, the Thunder step up a gear. With the Sussex offensive unit improving with every game, they moved downfield to answer right back, with quarterback Eber Kington finding Fishlock in the endzone from 18 yards out. Sussex improved their lead to 15-7.

As the game moved into the final quarter, the home side began to dominate. Looking to put the game out of reach, Kington had the ball knocked out his grasp, only for it to loop into the air and fall into the arms of offensive lineman John Searle, who not only held onto the ball, but also ran 13 yards for the first down. Soon after, Lampey got his second touchdown of the game, when he took the handoff, accelerated through a gaping hole in the Oxford defense, and sprinted 46 yards to the endzone to make the score 21-7. It seemed as if that would be it for the afternoon but Sussex were not finished, Crawley boy Fishlock hauling in a perfectly flighted pass from Kington for a 21 yard touchdown to close out the game.

Head Coach Len Scott said after the game, “ Oxford are always a real tough team to play, but our men rose to the occasion today, as they have all year, and thoroughly deserved the victory.”

The Thunder now have a four week break to recuperate and prepare for the last stage of the season, where visits to Ipswich and Kent and the last game of the season at home to the Southern Sundevils will decide whether the Thunder progress to the play offs.