 RAMS
END HAWKS WINNING STREAK
PT 2
After a less than confident performance in the first
half, the Hawks had to step up the intensity if they were to have
any chance of getting back into the game.
The visitors finally got a break early in the third
quarter when a great punt was downed deep in the Rams half.
The Hawks then finally found a chink in the Rams
armour when a run up the middle from Hann brought Clyde Valley in
site of the North Lanarkshire’s goal line.
And in the next play, Mark McKenzie sprinted into
the far corner of the endzone for the tying score, but failed to
take the lead when the extra point conversion from Tom Chapman finished
wide left.
The touchdown appeared to inject some life into
the Hawks offfense and were unfortunate at the start of the final
period when a long Han pass was superbly caught by Chapman deep
inside the Rams half.
But the play was called back for a holding penalty
on the Hawks and eventually had to surrender possession to the home
side.
Then on the first play of the next Rams drive Donaldson
blasted a whole in the Hawks defensive wall sprinting half the length
of the field for a terrific second touchdown.
And this time the home side were more successful
with conversion attempt when Paul McGovern split the uprights to
make it 14-6 in favour of the Rams.
The pressure was on the Hawks to save their unbeaten
record putting the Rams under heavy pressure.
The visitors then got a break when a poor snap on
a Rams punt attempt deep in their own half saw McGovern diving on
the ball just a few yards short of the goal line.
And minutes later Hann got the Hawks back in the
game with a two yard sneak for another six points but blew the chance
to tie the game when Chapman’s conversion attempt finished
wide right.
With less than five minutes of the game remaining,
the Hawks were still in search of the decisive score required to
get them in front for the first time.
And they were almost dealt a classic sucker punch
when Donaldson blasted through for another long run into the endzone,
but the touchdown was called back following an illegal procedure
penalty.
The Rams were digging deep into their reserves as
they tried to withstand a late Hawks offensive charge.
And as the final minutes ticked away, the reigning
champions resorted to desperate measures when Hann decided to fire
a deep pass from inside his 20 yard line and was picked off by David
Brand, giving the Rams excellent field position.
The Rams knew that they had a memorable victory
within their grasp and slowly made their way up field, eating precious
seconds off the clock.
And with 44 seconds tried to kill the game off when
McGovern tried to add another three points, but his field goal was
blocked.
There was then no way out for Clyde Valley during
the final seconds when Hann was sacked again by McIntyre and a long
fourth down attempt, the Hawks quarterback recovered his own fumble
but was stopped well short of the first down marker.
The Rams then killed of the remaining seconds for
a memorable victory for Head Coach Darryn Traynor and a perfect
send off for quarterback O’Rourke, who both received the customary
soakings courtesy of the water bucket
|
