AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS V

SCOTTISH CLAYMORES PT 2

The Claymores ate up some more yardage with Ian Smart taking the visitors to the Admirals 26.

With the World Bowl fate already been settled the pressure appeared to be off the Claymores as Herb Haygood brought them even closer to the endzone with an 11 yard gain down the left side.

11 minutes into the second, a four yard run down the left side, brought the Scots just one yard short of the Dutch goal line.

Then Anes capped off a 13 play 64 yard drive when he scrambled over the line for a touchdown, with Hart’s extra points surprisingly blocked, giving the Claymores a six point lead.

The Admirals hit back by taking the ball back to the Scotland 34 yard line, then disaster struck when Sandihno Octobre down the left hand side, dropped the ball which was recovered by Scotland’s Brad Franklin, who then ran the ball back up field for a 67 yard touchdown.

Hart had more success with the extra point, giving the Claymores a well deserved 16-3 lead.

The Admirals failed to get going on their next drive then disaster struck when their punt was blocked by Howard Clark who took the ball back 34 yards back into the Dutch Redzone.

But the like the Claymores, the Admirals defense held their ground and forced the Claymores to try their luck with a 34 yard field goal which finished wide left.

The Admirals tried to get their offensive machine going again, but Roundtree got in the way of a Clint Stoerner pass with his second interception of the day at the Dutch 33 yard line.

Tom Arth in his first full run out for the Claymores took the visitors to just one yard from the Admirals goal line with just 32 seconds remaining.

But the Dutch defense rose to the occasion again, with Arth tasting the Dutch turf. Then with five seconds remaining, the Scots blew the chance to go further ahead when a fake field goal saw a Nick Murphy pass aimed for Arron Golliday finishing incomplete.

HT ADMIRALS 3 CLAYMORES 16

With Arth back at the Claymores offensive controls, the Scots made little headway at the start of the second half.

Then Amsterdam got themselves right back into the match on their next drive starting at their own 47 which finished with back up quarterback Gibran Hamdan fired a 12 yard touchdown pass to Horn for an Admirals touchdown, which was converted by Diliberto to reduce the deficit to six points.

Arth continued to have no more luck on his next drive, then the Admirals failed to claw back the deficit even further when Todd Sievers 49 yard field goal finished wide right.

With just over three minutes of the third quarter remaining, Ian Smart burned the Dutch turf again with a 12 yard run up the middle to the Amsterdam 46 for a new set of downs.

Then Arth’s confidence took another battering when he was picked off by Drew Wahlroos at the Admirals 28 who returned the ball 18 yards just short of midfield.

Then the Admirals went infront for the first time in the game when Downs made a 3 yard completion for a touchdown, with Diliberto adding the extra point to put the Dutch one ahead.

After his performance in the third quarter, Arth was surprisingly back on the field for the Claymores in their first drive in the fourth period.

But with 3rd down and one yard to go, Arth gave his confidence a major boost when he fired a 32 yard pass to Scott McCready to the Admirals 24.

Arth appeared to be getting more movement in his arm, taking the Scots to the Dutch Redzone.

But with 12 yard to go to the home goal line, Arth was picked off again at the Admirals 14 yard line, with the small consolation of the Admirals having to start their new drive five yard further back.

Amsterdam were starting to play with more confidence thanks to more big plays from Chris Downs, taking the home side into Scots territory once again.

The Scots got a crucial break inside their own 20 yard area when Thomas Wright forced a fumble from Downs, which was recovered am Jamal Lewis.

Claymores Head Coach Jack Bicknell continued to say faithful to Arth, sending him back on for the Scots next drive.

Four minutes later, the Claymores were still in possession, going into the two minute warning.

A 15 yard roughing the passer penalty brought the visitors to within field goal range and a new set of downs for the Scots.

But desperation was starting to creep in to the Scots play as Arth desperately battled to find his way through a tightly defended Admirals endzone.

Then with 90 seconds remaining, Claymores record breaking kicker, Rob Hart set the scene for a dramatic final when his 43 yard field goal put the Scots back infront by two points.

The Admiral needed just a field goal to ensure a memorable come form behind victory.

And with 46 seconds to go a six yard pass to former Claymore, Mike Malan gave the home side hope taking the ball inside the visitors half.

But the Scots defense stepped once again with a crucial play when Gavin Walls sacked Stoerner for a six yard loss.

And the Dutch almost kept the drive alive on a fourth down gamble with 10 yards to go, when a scramble by Stoerner fell two yards short.

And with 23 seconds remaining, Arth was back on to simply eat up the seconds and ensure the Claymores their last road game of the season finished on a winning note equalling their 1995 record.

Now the Claymores will hope to the keep the momentum going next Saturday with their penultimate clash against World Bowl finalists Berlin Thunder.