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Bulls slaughtered - Oxford 28 Birmingham 2

The Oxford Saints made mince meat of the Birmingham Bulls on Sunday, a powerful 28 - 2 victory took them to the top of the South West Conference in Division 1 of the BAFA Communities League. The Saints continued their perfect start to the season, making it 4 wins from 4 under the guidance of new Head Coach Len Scott.

Oxford started the game in rampant mood. Playing only their second game at their new home of Abingdon Rugby club & in front of a sizeable crowd, the Saints were hell bent on making an early statement. Johnny Dover boomed the opening kickoff pinning the Bulls down inside their own 15 yard line. Oxfords powerhouse defence took to the field & immediately made it known to the Bulls that it was going to be a long hard day for them.

The first two plays saw monster LB duo Andrew Day & Chris Ellis combine for 2 big hits on the Bulls RB, putting them in a 3rd  long on their first possession. Birmingham went to the air on 3rd down only to see Oxfords Scott Tolley pick the ball off & take off down the sidelines. A big hit on Tolley saw him cough the ball up & give it right back to the Bulls. The Bulls had a second chance to drive the ball away from their danger zone but again came up against a ferocious Saints run defence.

Lee Hutton smashed thru the line to put a hit on the Bulls RB, followed by another stop for a loss from Dean Bryan. With 3rd down drawing a blank from the Bulls they were forced to punt the ball away. A bad punt saw Oxfords offence take to the field for the first time in great field position.

The Bulls defence however was in  equally aggressive form as the Saints D & forced a turnover on downs. With the ball still in the Birmingham red zone the Saints defence continued its relentless pursuit of the Bulls offense. Everything the Bulls tried was stuffed & the Bulls were  faced with another punt from out of their red zone.

After a good punt return of 13 yards from Oxfords Kyle Micallef, the Saints O entered the fray, again inside Bulls territory. This time Saints QB Jay Taylor marshalled his troops on a drive that would take the Saints to pay dirt. A couple of good runs from Chris Taylor & a short pass to Micallef took Oxford down to the Bulls 1 yard line. Jay Taylor powered the ball over from a yard out behind the blocking of mammoth centre Stuart Cribbes for the games opening score, Dover kicked the PAT, Oxford up 7 – 0.

The 1st quarter ended with the Bulls offence still unable to move the ball.

The 2nd quarter saw Oxfords offense starting to find its rhythm & put some useful looking drives together.  The Bulls offence on the other hand could not get anything going, the Saints marauding D painfully shutting down whatever the Bulls O did. Late in the 2nd quarter Scott Tolley grabbed his second interception of the day & the Saints O took over on their own 40 yard line.

Saints rookie James Burchall burst through the Bulls D & jinked his way to an 18 yard run. Then a screen pass from Jay Taylor to brother Chris added another 10 yards to the Birmingham 32 yard line. A run for no gain followed by an incomplete pass saw Oxford with a 3rd & 10. Taylor dropped back to pass & a pin point bullet over the middle found Kyle Micallef. Micallef caught the rocket & squeezed between two defenders before sprinting into the end zone for a 32 yard touchdown, Dover missed the PAT, Oxford up 13 – 0.

The Saints defence held firm on the Bulls next drive. Dover batted down a pass on 3rd down to send the Saints into the interval in the lead.

The Saints started with the ball in the second half. A good kick off from the Bulls saw Oxford start from their own 20. Another good drive from Jay Taylor & the Saints O, now really starting to get the measure of a very good Birmingham defence, saw the Saints drive into the Bulls half. The drive stalled & Dover came on to attempt a 20 yard field goal which he slotted with ease, Oxford up 16 – 0.

The two sides then traded possessions & punts ending with the Saints on a 1st & 10 inside their own 10 yard line. A poor snap from Cribbes saw the ball fly over QB Taylors head & bounce around in the Saints end zone. A mad scramble for the ball saw Micallef recover it for Oxford to save a touchdown but unfortunately concede a 2 point safety, Oxford led 16 – 2. The safety saw Oxford forced to kick off again from their own 20 yard line. A magnificent return from the Bulls return man saw him return the ball all the way down to inside the Saints 10 yard line. If the Bulls could take it in from there it would’ve made the game really close. The Oxford defence however had other ideas. Andrew Day charged thru the line on 1st down to crush the Bulls RB in the backfield, followed by another  big hit in the backfield from Dean Bryan on 2nd down.

The Bulls went to the air on 3rd & goal. Oxfords Stephen Bentley came slamming thru the line to nail the Bulls QB for a huge sack & a loss of yardage to bring up 4th down. The Bulls went for it on 4th down & again the Saints D shut up shop to end the Bulls hopes of a possible comeback.

The game entered the 4th quarter with more of the same for the now helpless Bulls. The Saints were forced to punt the ball away on their first possession of the 4th quarter & a good punt saw the  Bulls O backed up inside their own 20. Needing a score fast the Bulls looked to their passing game. After a couple of short gains off of quick passes the Bulls went for a bit more on 3rd down. Big pressure on the Bulls QB from the Saints D line saw him force a pass deep into the Oxford secondary. Saints safety Adam Cartwright was right there to intercept for Oxford & a brutal, barraging 15 yard return from him saw Oxfords O back inside the Bulls 20.

J.Taylor again took his offence down to the Bulls goal line with some smart play calling. Chris Taylor smashed his way into the end zone from 3 yards out to score for Oxford, the PAT attempt failed, Oxford up 22 – 2.

The Bulls got the ball back & again were faced by an unforgiving, brutal onslaught from the Saints D. A big hit from Hutton forced the RB to fumble & James Burt dived on the loose ball to recover it for Oxford inside Bulls territory.

The Oxford O, now up to a pulsating level themselves, needed only one play to well & truly put the game to bed. Taylor handed off to FB & human battering ram Chris Ellis who took the ball & then WALLOP. Ellis bulldozed his way thru the Bulls D line & then pollaxed a Bulls would be tackler before trampling over another & sprinting free into the end zone for a 34 yard punishing run to pay dirt, the PAT was again unsuccessful, Saints led 28 – 2.

The Bulls had one last chance to get any sort of consolation. A big pass reception saw them down to the Saints 30 yard line. However it was not to be for Birmingham. Day again came bursting thru to tackle the RB for a huge loss then on the next play a bone jarring hit from Ali Galbraith saw the Bulls receiver fumble only for Oxfords Karl Sears to recover and end the game. Oxford winning their 4th in a row.

Oxfords game MVPs were Andrew Day on defence, James Burchall on Offence & Johnny Dover on special teams.

Oxford face their toughest test of the season so far next Sunday when they travel to 2nd place side & much fancied Tamworth Phoenix.

Published: 31-05-2010 by Andrew Day

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