Rockets Boost their Chances
of making Finals Day

Sunday 7th August brought the Aberdeen Oilcats to Inverness to play the Inverness Rockets in the Northern Conference of the youth Scottish Flag Football League.

The first game between these two teams in Aberdeen in June ended with the Rockets snatching victory by 51 to 42.

The Rockets won the coin toss and their offence moved the ball steadily downfield and ended with a short touchdown pass from Paul Kirkland to James Pyke to open the Rockets account.

The Oilcats offence then took the field but the Rockets defence held firm witht Chris Gordon making a great tackle, then James Pyke tipping a pass out of reach and finally Graham Scott making a tackle on 4th down to hand back possession to the Rockets.

The Rockets wasted no time with Kirkland hitting Chris Gordon with a 15 yard pass leaving Gordon to run 20 yards down the sideline for the touchdown.

The Oilcats offence then retook the field but the Rockets defence again seemed impenetrable, no matter what the Oilcats tried a Rockets player was either there to make the tackle or bat the ball down, this drive ending with a Chris Gordon interception.

Kirkland led the next drive passing first to Pyke who ran for first down, leaving Kirkland with a 17 yard TD pass to Graeme Mackay deep in the Oilcats endzone.

With the Oilcats next drive halted the Rockets regained possession on their own 5 yard line.

Kirkland making good use of all his receivers found Niall Carey with a 23 yard pass to bring up a first down and then a 17 yard TD pass to Graham Scott who just managed to haul down the ball and keep both feet in bounds and with a short pass to Pyke added the extra point.

On the next Rockets drive the Oilcats seemed to be containing the Rockets until on 4th down Kirkland threw a long pass down field to find Graham Scott for his second touchdown, once more Pyke added the extra points on a short pass.

With time fast running out in the first half the Oilcats drove down to the Rockets 5 yard line but the stalwart Rocket defence held firm to leave the score at half-time 33 points to 0.

The second half started much like the first with the Oilcats first 2 drives being stopped short.

Their first drive ending when Graham Scott intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for a TD.

The Rockets continued to add to their score with Kirkland passing to Pyke for 28yards, Keith Fiddes adding another 5 yards on an out route, and then Graeme Mackay finishing the drive receiving a short pass for the TD.

Kirkland then connected with Gordon on a post route for the extra points.

Finally the Oilcats determination was rewarded when QB Lewis Cameron on a flea flicker ran 30 yards to leave the Oilcats only 6 yards short, on the next play Cameron hit Neil Shepherd with a short pass to open the Oilcats scoring, however on the extra point attempt Kirkland intercepted the pass and ran it back for a Rockets score, the Rockets were unable to add to their score on their next two drives.

The Oilcats offence now started to work and with the ball on the Rockets 10 yard line Cameron lofted a pass to a wide open Adam Ingram.

With time fast running out for the Oilcats they attempted a couple of long passes into the Rockets endzone and were rewarded when Adam Ingram caught the last pass of the game to make the final score Inverness Rockets 49 Aberdeen Oilcats 20.

American Flag Football is a non-contact 5 – on – 5 version of the game played by the great athletes of the NFL if you are interested in playing Tel. 01463 242431 for details.

PICS C/O INVERNESS BLITZ