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| Cambridge Cats | 16 |
| Oxford Saints | 8 |
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News
Oxford Saints 7 Cambridge Cats 13
The Oxford Saints bowed out of the BAFACL Division 1 Playoff race on Sunday, going down 13 – 7 in the quarter finals to playoff Nemesis the Cambridge Cats. The Saints were beaten at the same stage by the same team this time last year.
As like the game in 09 this one was another fantastic nail biting battle that went down to the final play of the game. Another feast of entertainment served up by the two teams and a great advert for the sport in the UK.
The Saints travelled to Cambridge looking to avenge last years defeat. It was backs against the wall stuff for Oxford, making the journey with a massively depleted squad, including missing 7 key starting players.
Things got even worse for the Saints when early in the 1st quarter season sensation Kyle Micallef suffered a back injury and was taken to hospital.
Undeterred it was the Saints who got off the strongest. The 1st quarter was dominated by both teams’ defences. Oxford’s defence (marshalled by veteran LB Chris Ellis) looked in dominant mood, shutting down a potent Cambridge offence (more used to raking up 30/40 point plus per game) and their electric American RB Josh Gilreath. The 1st quarter ended scoreless.
The start of the 2nd quarter saw Oxfords offence driving. RB Chris Taylor ripped off a number of good runs behind a makeshift OL. Then a big pass from QB Jay Taylor to rookie WR Alec Spurling took the Saints into the Cats red zone. C.Taylor smashed his way through the middle again to take the ball to the Cats 1 yard line, from there brother Jay bulldozed his way into the end zone behind the blocking of Stuart Cribbes for the go ahead score, Steve Belcher kicked the PAT, Oxford 7- 0 up.
The Saints D was now at fever pitch, shutting down everything the Cats did. DE Lee Hutton came marauding through the line on 3rd and long and a massive sack on the Cats QB saw the Cats having to punt the ball away.
The Saints O took over just inside the Cambridge half and a mixture of good runs and short passes quickly saw them knocking on the door of the Cats red zone with a chance to go 2 scores up. The next play saw the Cats D come up with a huge play. J.Taylor dropped back to pass. Unable to find an open receiver Taylor was flushed out of the pocket and found himself scrambling for his life, fighting to avoid the sack and a big hit from a Cambridge defender saw Taylor fumble the ball and the Cats recovered it for a huge momentum swinger.
The Cats O took to the field and needed no second invitation to square the game. Star man Josh Gilreath tore up the shell shocked Oxford defence on a number of runs, dancing and dazzling his way through the Oxford D at will. Gilreath single handily took the Cats to the Saints 14 yard line and the next play blazed his way into the end zone through an array of missed tackles, Steve Bright kicked the PAT to level the score. The game entered the interval with the teams tied at 7 – 7.
The 3rd quarter was again dominated by great defensive play. Both teams D’s making big plays.
It was that man Gilreath who broke the deadlock and won the game for Cambridge. With the game now deep into the 4th quarter, the Cats had the ball with 7 minutes to go. Stacked up by the Saints D on their own 33 yard line the Cats turned to their playmaker once more. Gilreath took the handoff on a draw up the middle and avoided the tackle of LB Ellis then bounced it outside. A big block on Ross Ghouldie sprung Gilreath free down the sidelines and he switched on the after burners to scorch down the sidelines for a 67 yard touchdown, Ellis redeemed himself by blocking the PAT attempt, Cambridge up 13 – 7.
The Saints O took to the field with 6 minutes remaining, knowing a converted touchdown would win it. Oxford came out in their 2 back set and proceeded to pound it down the field. Impressive power running from Chris Taylor took the Saints down to the 12 yard line of the Cats. With only 3 minutes left on the clock the Saints were looking like they could snatch victory. However the Cats D had other ideas. The Saints changed from their 2 back set to their single back finesse game in an attempt to out fox the Cambridge defence. The Cats D were not fooled and 3 incomplete passes later saw the Saints staring at 4th down and no option but to go for it. Again the pass fell incomplete and the Cats took over on downs.
The Saints D quickly shut the Cats down. Big stops on 1st and 2nd down saw the Cats with 3rd and 10 on their own 12 yard line. The Cats tried a quick pass over the middle to Gilreath, Ellis read it all the way and stepped in front of the pass for what looked like a certain game winning interception. The ball however went straight through his hands and fell incomplete. A huge punt on 4th down from Cambridge saw Oxford with the ball at midfield with 1 minute left and one last chance to win it.
A trick play on 1st down saw J.Taylor pitch the ball on a sweep to RB Matt Coppinger, Coppinger surprised the Cats D by passing it, Spurling leapt in the air to make the catch a gain a huge chunk of yardage to set up a nail biting finish. A short pass then a couple of incomplete passes saw Oxford facing 4th and 8 on the 25 yard line. J.Taylor dropped back to pass and again with no one open he took off with it. Taylor broke a couple of tackles and sprinted down the side line before diving for the first down marker, making it by inches. The Saints now had 1st down at the 17 yard line with 30 seconds remaining.
A pass into the end zone from Taylor saw the ball go agonisingly off the outstretched finger tips of Coppinger.
A short gain then another incomplete pass saw Oxford again looking down the barrel of 4th down. With just enough time left for 1 play anyway, it was end zone or bust for the Saints. Taylor dropped back and blanket coverage from the Cats D gave Taylor no one to go to. Taylor scrambling for his life remarkably avoided being sacked several times to buy his receivers some time. In the end Taylor had no option but to let it fly and fired it towards his receiver in the end zone. A diving, spectacular interception from a Cats defender sealed Oxfords doom and broke the hearts of the travelling support, securing victory for the Cats and in the last seconds to delight a jubilant home crowd.
Cambridge winners again by the skin of their teeth in another epic encounter between the two teams.
Published: 08-09-2010 by Andrew Day