Bulls vs Cats Match Report
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.
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Bulls vs Saints Match Report
Sunday 15th May – Walsall Rugby Ground
THUNDER & LIGHTNING AT THE SAM AND ETHEL SHOW
The Bulls played their first senior home game of the 2011 season last Sunday, and gained revenge on the Oxford Saints.
The Bulls displayed a much improved offensive performance, but still have lots of early season rust to shake off. The improving thunder and lightning running game of Leon Williamson and rookie Marcus Rey continues to excite the growing crowds down at Walsall Rugby FC.
However it was the cool play of QB Sam Steward that got the Bulls moving and in the first quarter he found tight end # 89 Ollie Neal with a 5 yard pass for the first score of the day. Kicker Karl Watkins , #29 converted the PAT.
In the second quarter the Bulls offense missed a few more opportunities to extend the lead as the Bulls defense continued to dominate the Saints even more as time passed. It was the same combination that struck the Saints for the second score as Sam Steward hit Ollie Neal again , this time from 25 yards but the PAT was not given. It stayed 13 – 0 until halftime.
In the second half, the Bulls let the dogs loose and it was Roberto “ Ethel “ Monfardini who punished the Saints when they sinned. Karl Watkins sacked the Saints QB and he fumbled the ball only for “Ethel” to pick it up and streak into the endzone for a 15 yard touchdown, but his day was not done there. The PAT was good too.
Later in the third quater, Sam Steward hit rookie wide receiver # 10 Ashton Lord, with a well timed pass for a 14 yard touchdown but the PAT was missed.
With the 4th quater under way, the Bulls sent in the back ups and “Ethel” stepped up again. The Saints` running game had been shut down without a first down all day and they had to punt again. Defensive end # 87 Kyle Burrows burst through the Saints protection and blocked the kick. A fine block from first year Bull, tight end # 17, Denzil Byron, released “Ethel” to pick up the fumbled ball and return it to the house for a 33 yard touchdown. Karl Watkins nailed the PAT and that made it 32 – 0.
The Bulls continued to change personnel and now QB, Rich Wilde was out front leading the way and he hit another first year Bull, # 9 , T J Dar Orenuga for a 19 yard touchdown pass. The PAT was successful and the game was done at 39-0.
The Bulls now get 2 weeks away from action before 2 road trips to Cambridge and Leicester.
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Bulls vs Saxons Match Report
SUNDAY MAY 1ST 2011 – STANGROUND SPORTS CENTRE – PETERBOROUGH
The first game of the season for the Birmingham Bulls was against a team they hadn’t met before, the Peterborough Saxons. The Bulls display proved to be a Jekyl and Hyde performance, but the win was the start the team were looking for.
Following a poor record last year, the Bulls have made significant changes and this performance showed the talent is there to go a long way to achieving their goals this season.
The Bulls started very brightly on offense and moved the ball at will. Unfortunately, costly penalties and untimely unforced errors, cost the team a point laden start. However, it was the reliable Bulls defense which scored first in the first quarter, with second year middle linebacker, Dave Hoult, tackling the Saxon in the end zone for a safety.
Offensive coordinator, Wayne Hill kept the Bulls calm and patient and the scores started to come. In the second quarter, Jason “ Stoney “ Grant caught a 16 yard pass from QB Sam Steward and Karl Watkins made the PAT.
Also in the second quarter, QB Sam Steward crossed the goal line on a 1 yard dive behind his o line to bring another score.
The second half was hit and miss again but the Bulls scored twice more with James Plant returning a Saxons punt 45 yards for a touchdown and Nick Smith smashed over to score on a 8 yard run too.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulls missed a number of opportunities to extend their lead but changes were made to personnel and back up QB, Rich Wilde kept the ball to run over the goal line from 4 yards out for a score to end the points tally at 35 – 0.
A big mention has to go to running back Leon Williamson who enjoyed taking his 16 carries for 175 yards , even though he had a long touchdown called back for another crazy penalty.
The Bulls defense were swarming to the ball all day as usual , and kept the Saxons to under 100 yards in total and sacked the QB 5 times and intercepted them 3 times. James Plant picked one and the returning Jon Bartley managed to swoop on 2 and give great field position to the offense.
Next up for the Bulls is a home game against Oxford Saints on May 15th and the Bulls will be looking for revenge for the 2 losses they suffered at the hands of the Saints last year.