The NFFL Wales Division has reached its midway point and it sees both Gators teams at 2-4 on the season with 6 games to play.
Saturday saw Hurricanes 2 hosting and the Gators Blues facing a strong Swansea Hanmerhead team followed by a rejigged but just as experienced and talented Gwent Trojan team.
The Blues started strongly against Swansea, scoring in their opening possession.
Had it not been for Blitzer Jack Webb contacting Swansea QB Ash Lewis on their 4th down, the Blues would have had the Hammerheads off the field on a turnover in possession. It was not to be as the resultant penalty gave Swansea another opportunity, something you do at your peril and they converted.
The trading of scores continued the first half which saw the score at the half way mark 20-19 Swansea.
The Hammerheads came out in the 2nd half all business and proceeded to score another 3 touchdowns to the Gators 1, the excellent on the day Keenan Gibson giving Swansea’s Defense all they could handle and more at times, registering 3 scores in the game but it wasn’t enough and the Blues Defense couldn’t get the stops required, leaving the full time score 40-27.
The Gators 2nd game of the day was against the Trojans who, due to injury, saw the Trojans wunderkind Rich Harris at QB and usua QB Alex Thomas at WR.
Aside from an opening score from the Gators; a Giles short pass to Ethan Langdon who evaded tacklers smartly before hitting the endzone, the Trojans kept the Blue Offense quiet and the aforementioned Harris navigated the Blues Defense for 3 scores, making the final score 21-6.
Two tough games and two losses on the day saw the previously .500. blues drop to 0.333 and a 2-4 record.
The Gators Oranges headed to the Coyote hosted Sunday Gameday with revenge on their minds.
After the 63-0 beatdown last time out, the Oranges were determined to put in a better performance against the defend champs.
The first half saw QB Dean Jackson’s first 5 passes all hit receivers hands only to tip off them, mostly to the willing hands of Cardiff standout Joe Cotterill.
Less than 10 minutes in and Oranges were 4 scores down, heading to a 32-0 scoreline at the half.
The 2nd half to come and the Oranges were determined to make it more of a game and to try and “win” the second period.
Oranges started on Offense and Jackson led them down the field, finding Chris Bartlett Legge for the score and the XP.
The defense played much better the rest of the game, making Cardiff work for their scores, albeit they still managed to register 3 more in the 2nd half which left the final score 53-7. Still an education from the outstanding Hurricanes but it felt like the Oranges competed more than in the first fixture so there were positives to take from the game.
The next “revenge“ game was against the Cardiff Bay Coyotes who gave the Oranges all they could handle the Gameday before.
Some personnel changes at QB and C for the Coyotes made it difficult to predict how they would play on O but it wasn’t concerning them on the first drive of the day as the Oranges were in possession and a throw from Jackson was gratefully picked off by Mike Austin, who gleefully returned it for a score.
The Oranges however did not panic and some lovely Jackson to Bourke connections saw the Gators regain the lead, heading into the half on the back of 3 Bourke scores 26-7.
Jackson had to depart so Dale Davies took over under centre and on the 3rd play of the 2nd half, some trickery saw Davies throw back to Chris Bartlett Legge who launched an almost length of the field shot to Andy Giboney who reeled the pass in for the score. Davies to Legge for the XP.
The next Coyote drive saw Legge pick off Coyote debutant QB Matthew Tynan for a pick 6.
Tynan resettled himself and next possession drove the field and found RB Hish across the middle, who beat Legge to the ball and taking it in for the score. 39-13 Oranges.
The penultimate Offensivr drive saw Davies take the team to the half way before throwing a fade pass to the ever grateful Bourke who secured his 4th score of the game.
The XP was a little bit special for the Oranges as it saw C Peth Watkins score her very first points for the club as well as being the first woman to register points for the Gators.
The game fizzled out after that and left the final score 46-13 to the Gators Orange.
This leaves them on the same record as the Blues being 2-4 but with a. -100 points difference to them.
Though the Blues still have Cardiff Hurricanes to play twice and the Oranges and Blues have yet to play one another. That is upcoming this weekend.
As always, thanks for reading.
- Dale Davies
MVGs
MVGs for the week were;
Orange O MVG - WR Matt Bourke
Sponsor: RM Electrical Contractors
Orange D MVG - B Jake Williams
Sponsor: JDW Architects
Blue O MVG - HB Keenan Gibson
Sponsor: 5 Star Imports
Blue D MVG - S Dan Davies
Sponsor: Palladium Training
Special recognition goes to young Rookie Jake Williams, for his performance on the gameday came out with 5 sacks, which earned him Flag Football Wales Defensive POTW.
The Gwent Gators look ahead to the first Derby Day, between the Orange and Blue.
The preview for week four and further results will be up over the weekend once the fixtures have taken place.
Make sure you follow all developments on