Lions Send Roar Across Europe
Ordinarily if you are in an American football contest, you’ll be playing four quarters. For Great Britain to win through to the next stage in the European Championships, they would need to win out over eight. Standing in their way were Russia and the Czech Republic, and over a period of three days, they dispatched both of them, convincingly.
First up were the physically imposing Russians. It’s Friday night under the lights and Russia receive the ball, but their first possession comes to nothing with Scott registering a big sack on third down, forcing the punt. GB quarterback Jerome Allen takes over on his own forty and engineers a drive utilising the safe hands of Jack Daley and the punishing running of Dwayne Watson. With the Lions on the Russian seven yard line, Adam Hope takes the hand-off and forces his way in for the go-ahead score, Daley is good with the PAT and it’s 7-0 the Lions. It was the only scoring in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter Russia started to make some progress, but a deep pass was picked off in the endzone by safety Josh Amiss. Ali made a couple of ground gaining runs to move the chains, before Allen combined with Daley on a sixty yard touchdown pass, the PAT is blocked, so the score moves to 13-0 GB. Russia couldn’t make anything of their possession and GB continued to pile on the pressure, runs from Hope and Watson got the Lions in the redzone, but the drive stalled, leaving Daley to kick a field goal with nineteen seconds left in the half, edging the GB lead to 16-0.
Russia needed to get some points on the board if they were to have any chance of getting back into the game, and at the start of the third quarter, they did, via a well-struck 49 yard field goal. The Lions reacted well and a combination of runs and short passes culminated with Tim Thomas snagging a bullet from Allen for a twenty yard touchdown. The reliable Daley added the PAT, 23-3 GB.
With just one quarter remaining Russia had to throw caution to the wind, but unfortunately for them, they also threw an interception to defensive back Sam Obi. Josh Adamson came in at quarterback to drive GB downfield. Daley tried his luck from thirty seven yards, but the kick flew uncharacteristically wide. With time running out Adamson found wide out Ben Burslem for the score. Daley tacked on the PAT to secure the win by a score of 30-3. After four quarters of play, it was technically half-time for the ambitious Lions.
Waiting for them in the deciding game were the Czech Republic, who had shown determination to come from behind in Friday’s other game against Holland. Their veteran quarterback Dudacek, had shown some skills operating as a dual threat option behind centre.
Things didn’t start too well for the Lions, when on their first series following receiving the opening kick-off, one of their O linemen was ejected. That call was one of a succession of seemingly over-zealous flag throwing incidents from the zebras. It didn’t seem to put the Lions out of their stride though, as following big runs from Watson and Ali, and good catch by Rogers, Allen found points scoring machine, Jack Daley for the opening score. Daley added the PAT and GB led 7-0.The Czechs tried to get their option game going, but stout defending by GB left them having to punt. The teams exchanged possessions, and with the Czech defence bending but not breaking, the Lions had to settle for a Daley field goal, 10-0 GB. Big hits from Saul and Mofondo put pay to any progress the Czech team were looking to make as the first quarter ended.
The second quarter started with a hat-trick of Allen to Burslem hook-ups that found the Lions deep in opposition territory. Shortly after that, the Czechs were once again undone by the Allen to Daley connection for a further touchdown and conversion, it made it 17-0. Allen and the GB receivers were putting on a masterclass. Completed passes to Saul and Joseph were followed by a touch down grab from Laird. Daley’s right foot did what Daley’s right foot does, and it was now getting ugly for the men from Eastern Europe, with the scoreboard showing GB 24 CR 0. On their next drive, despite flashes of offensive efficiency, the Czechs had to punt again, and to rub salt into their already painful wounds, GB returner Josh Amiss raced all the way to the house to stretch the lead (with Daley’s PAT) to 31-0. With two seconds left in the half Dudacek dropped back and let fly with a hail mary that was secured by Malazovic in the endzone, giving the Czechs some points on the board and a little hope to send them into the locker room. Well they had come from behind against the Dutch, but another twenty four points to level the game would be a big ask.
The third quarter started with great pressure from the GB defence who had the Czech offence backed up on their own goal-line, and punting from their endzone. Allen continued to share the ball around his receivers, and picked out Routledge who wrestled his way out of a tackle and raced in for what he thought was a score, but it was called back, as his knee was deemed to have touched the turf during the tackle. The Czechs were still battling to get something from the game and their persistence paid off, when Dudacek picked out his receiver for a score. They couldn’t make the conversion, and the score sat at 31-13 GB at the end of quarter three.
Having limited success with their running game, the Lions went back to the air in the final quarter of the game. Allen hit Burslam for three big gains that had the offence knocking on the door. The ninety yard drive ended with Allen finding Rogers in the corner of the endzone to put the icing on the qualification cake. Daley added on the PAT and it was now 38-13 Lions. With 3.32 left in the game Adamson took over at quarterback to put the game to bed.
As the post-game celebrations began, I spoke with the man who had put the first points on the board for the Lions, running back, Adam Hope. “Great work from the GB team this weekend against two very physical teams. Offensively we were able to move the ball well and demonstrated our ability to command in the passing game. Whilst we had some success running the ball It’s something we will have to establish more. All that matters is that we have moved one step closer to our goal, qualifying for group A.”
Over the eight quarters, the Lions had completed their mission in impressive style, and gave coach Cullen the obligatory Gatorade shower. He and his staff could be proud of what their team had achieved. They now move onto the next level of qualification in 2017, where they will play Sweden. Their prize if they win that game, will be entering the Elite “Group A” and the European Championship finals in 2018.