British Junior Kitted League 2004

INVERCLYDE RAIDERS WIN THE MERSEY BOWL

Last weekend the Inverclyde Raiders, Junior American football team, travelled to Liverpool to win the Mersey Bowl and extend their lead at the top of the British Junior Champions league by four points.

This gives them 8 points out of 9 after three tournaments and sets them up for a place in the final at Birmingham on September 11th.

After winning the Milton Keynes Bowl and getting their first 3 points, they narrowly missed the top position at the Birmingham Bowl being beaten 28 - 26 by the Milton Keynes Pathfinders in a controversial game when the Pathfinders snapped the ball before the Raiders were in position after a two minute time-out.

The Raiders could only stand and watch the Pathfinders run an almost empty field to score the last and winning touch down of the match.

The Raiders however, knew that Liverpool was only a few weeks away and all emphasis was on beating the Pathfinders as not only were they sitting in second position in the league, they way they won the last tournament left the Raiders out for revenge.

They couldn't believe their luck when they were drawn against the Pathfinders in the opening game of the tournament and turned on the heat from the word go.

The Pathfinders had no answer to the onslaught they were in for with the Raiders offence & defence pulling off some exceptional football, the game ended 40 - 18 to the Raiders.

After this the Pathfinders did not have a good day loosing all their games in the tournament .

The Raiders on the other hand were on a high and won all their games in the tournament with a fantastic final against the PA Knights from London, by far the best game of the championship so far. At half time both teams were neck and neck, but during the second half the Raiders took control of the game, winning 32 - 19.

The Raiders have another three tournaments to play before the final with one of them at the Greenock Battery Park on August 28th but with a four point lead they are already making their plans to be at the Birmingham final.

Latest tables as of July 4th