Late Scare Fails To Deny South Wales Warriors First Victory In Two Years

American Football BAFA Southern Conference Division Two West 

By Twm Owen 

Somerset Wyverns 6, South Wales Warriors 8 

The South Wales Warriors have won their first game in two years – but were almost denied at the death by a spirited Somerset Wyverns. 

The Warriors have been installed by some as favourites to take the British American Football Association Division Two West title after relegation from Division One last year but came up against a stubborn Somerset side making their league debut. 

Quarterback Max Ayoul connected with Max McNeill-Smith for the game’s opening touchdown in the first quarter to put the Warriors ahead. Running back Daniel Abruzzese then ran in what would prove to be the crucial two-point conversion. 

The Warriors defense held firm even as the offence failed to add further scores against the rookie outfit. 

But in the final seconds of the fourth quarter the Wyverns scored through the air to give themselves a chance of forcing a draw when QB Tom Golden found Matt Hadfield with a 19-yard pass.

A two-point conversion would have secured the Wyverns a draw but Warriors safety Dan Dacey forced an incompletion with a bone crunching, and perfectly timed, hit on the expectant Wyverns receiver. 

That ensured the Warriors would claim their first win since they defeated the London Olympians in the BAFA Premiership on June 13, 2016. 

A narrow away win was enough to break the long losing run but the Warriors will know they still have work to do before their next fixture, their first home game of the season, against the Jurassic Coast Raptors on May 6 at Llanharan Rugby Club.