Warriors prove too powerful for undersized Raptors

American Football BAFA Southern Conference Division Two West  

By Twm Owen  

South Wales Warriors 50, Jurassic Coast Raptors 0 

A powerful offensive performance saw the South Wales Warriors score seven touchdowns against their visitors from the English south coast whose ineffective attack could have been from the Jurassic age. 

The Warriors had put three first half touchdowns on the board before the Jurassic Coast Raptors finally managed to make any offensive headway in the second quarter through their conservative, ‘double wing’ rushing offense. 

Warriors headcoach Geraint Roberts called the century old attack “awful” on the eye and his opposite number Mark Newell conceded the system, with all offensive players tightly packed together, isn’t a “big play offense”. 

The Raptors travelled from Dorchester with a squad of just 20 players and with second choice quarterback David Layleye under center after regular starter Sean Tapping broke his leg in their opening defeat at Worcestershire Black Knights, perhaps explaining their limited approach. 

There were no such concerns for the Warriors on the sweltering hot day at Llanharan RFC’s Dairy Field with a large squad ensuring the home side were never short of fresh legs. 

Running back Joshua Hughes opened the scoring for the Warriors and before he could add his second backfield partner Adam Hilton had also ran in a touchdown. 

QB Layleye finally got the misfiring Raptors offense on the move late in the second quarter when the ploy of short runs finally released a receiver downfield. But even after the drive stalled deep in the Warriors territory inside the final two minutes of the second quarter the home offense found time to score a fourth first half touchdown. 

A pass interference call advanced the Warriors downfield and with 45 seconds left QB Dean Jackson found Max McNeill-Smith down the left sideline for a 22-yard touchdown. Receiver Noah Schmitt, at full stretch, pulled in a high pass from Jackson to secure the Warriors first two-point conversion of the afternoon for a 26-0 halftime lead. 

Oliver Brew intercepted Jackson as the Warriors advanced deep downfield to start the second half but the tiring Raptors offense could only move backwards until a runner was gang tackled in his own endzone for the home side to add a two-point safety to the total. 

QB Max Ayoul took over the Warriors offense on the ensuing possession and kept the score ticking over finding receiver Isaac Taylor down the left for a 20-yard touchdown. Joshua Hughes ran in the two-point conversion to bring the score up to 36-0, the points difference meaning a running game clock would operate rather than pausing at breaks in play. 

In the time remaining the Warriors added two further touchdowns, a 40-yard run from Richie Bowen, which he himself converted, and another close range score from Hughes for his hattrick. That was set up by a 20-yard pass from Ayoul to Lawrence Tuckett who was knocked out of bounds at the one-yard line. 

Warriors punt returner Daniel Dacey
Photographer Craig Thomas/Replay Images

Punt returner Daniel Dacey thought he’d added an eighth touchdown when he crossed the line after a weaving 60-yard run but the score was called back for an illegal block below the waist. 

Coach Roberts said he was pleased to have given his entire squad “meaningful time on the field” and with the message a second victory, from two games, sends out. 

“It’s nice to see the recruitment we did over the winter has worked and to get a big score will help the club moving forward and will make a difference within and outside the team. 

“The disappointing thing was that awful double wing offense they played but I think it was a case of ‘needs must’ for them.” 

Raptors coach Newell had to cope with losing two players during the game, one who suffered a suspected broken hand and had to go to hospital for an X-ray, and another to concussion. 

“The nature of our offense is it is a fairly limited playbook but the intention is to break big plays, though it’s not a big play offense, but we chose to go with that offense this year because of our small squad and it can work for undersized teams,” said Newell. 

“We had 20 players today and two went out injured so three quarters were playing both ways and the heat took its toll.” 

The Warriors are seeking to arrange a friendly for Sunday, March 13 after league opponents the Cornish Sharks asked for their scheduled fixture to be re-arranged.