Sunday 5th June – Ely Rugby Club
The Birmingham Bulls traveled to Cambridge to face the Cats with an unblemished record, no losses, and not even a point conceded. In what was becoming a hotly contested Central Division the Bulls were looking to continue their run towards an undefeated season.
Things started well for the visiting side. Almost immediately the Cats found themselves backed up and punting from their own endzone. The snap was fumbled and the scramble for the ball saw it roll out the back for a safety. [Score 2 – 0 Birmingham]
The struggling Cats had to find a way to put points on the board, and they found the answer in the leg of their kicker. A drive that fell short of the endzone ended with a successful 41yd field goal to get Cambridge up and running. [Score 2 -3 Cambridge]
As the second quarter started and ended without a score. Both defences won their battles against the opposing team, and the first half drew to a close. [Half Time 2 - 3 Cambridge]
The Cats received the ball in the second half and went back to work. Rarely in this league are field goals so valuable, but another short drive saw another successful attempt for the Cats kicking unit from 21yds [Score 2 – 6 Cambridge] Again and again the Bulls offence failed to score, and the short drives continued to pay off for the Cats with another good 31yd kick. [Score 2 – 9 Cambridge]
The game moved into the fourth quarter and Birmingham continued to put nothing together on offence. The Cats manufactured another time killing drive, only to push the kick wide right, much to Birmingham’s relief.
The relief was short lived. Birmingham’s offence failed to produce and soon the Cats had the ball again. The scrambling ability of the Cambridge QB had been contained well for most of the game, but disaster struck for the Bulls as a broken play saw him find some daylight and turn on the speed for 60yd touchdown! PAT was no good. [Score 2 – 15]
The day was to end as it began. After Cambridge intercepted the ball on their own 2yd line Birmingham’s defence broke through for another safety, but with eleven seconds left on the clock it was all too little too late. [Final score 4 - 15 Cambridge]
Birmingham will feel they let complacency creep in for this fixture, but Cambridge were deserving winners. The Cats can enjoy a bye next week, while the Bulls look to get their season back on track in the much hyped clash @ (4-0) Leicester Falcons.