CALLY GET OFF THE MARK
GCU Roughriders 12 Glasgow Tigers 8

Two second half touchdowns finally got Cally's season off the mark and rescued a first half defensive battle that was as dire as the winter fog.

Recent contests between the two sides have been tough defensive battles and this was going to be no exception - except the during the first two quarters, defensive grit and determination triumphed over attack, flair - and entertainment

The best way to sum up the first half was:

They Came! (The Supporters)

They Saw!

Got Hypothermia!

Got a Heat and went home!

In fact a summary of the first half was that Cally Quarterback, Lewis Cameron continued to receive more pummelling like the previous week, this time by the Glasgow defensive line and was prone to fumbling away possession.

And on the Glasgow series, they were under some heavy pressure themselves from the Roughriders Rear Guard and were prone to dropping the pig skin themselves.

Unfortunately neither offense were capable of taking advantage and with no score at the end of the break, one wondered if we would actually see any points on the board.

There was an obvious statement to make at that point, but we could not see any flying pigs as it was too foggy.

At the start of the second half it looked as it was going to be more of the same as both sides continued to turnover possession.

Then midway through the third period, it was one turnover too many as Glasgow found themselves in trouble deep in their own half.

And on the next play, the Roughriders trigger man showed that the tough treatment he had received in the first had not affected him too much when he delivered a delightful floating ball to a wide open Ryan McCluskey for the opening touchdown.

Glasgow then finally got their own offensive machine in gear early in the fourth quarter when a screen pass to Duncan Black ended with the receiver sprinting over 40 yards for a well worked tying score.

And when Grant McAuslan added the two point conversion, it looked as if the momentum had swung in the visitors favour.

But the Tigers were stunned on the resulting kick off when Jamie McLaughlin, one of the few positive points from a poor first half, turned on the speed with a first class return all the way to the endzone and put the Roughriders back in front.

As the minutes continued to tick away, Glasgow tried to throw everything at the Roughriders, desperately trying to get back in front.

But what eventually turned out to be an exciting end to the game, the home defense dug in their heels during a tense final period of the game, doing enough to run out as deserved winners.