DEMOLITION DERBY  !!!!!!!!!!

Glasgow Tigers 68        Edinburgh Predators 8

Any player competing in his first season in American Football naturally wants to make a favourable impression.   But how many would have predicted the first season stats for running back, Lewis King.

Today (Sunday Feb 28^th) his team, Glasgow Tigers, clinched the Scottish Conference title in style, hammering east coast rival’s Edinburgh Predators, 68-8, with the rookie rusher turning in another impressive performance.

And with the regular season entering its final stages, Lewis has now racked up 18 touchdowns in his first campaign, and is on the verge of re writing the Tigers rushing stats.

But this match was not the Lewis King show – far from it.   There were plenty of other rushers making their presence felt.

If fact this was the best team performance by the Tigers this season, who in their determination to send a clear message to the rest of the league ahead of the upcoming play-offs, stormed to a 24 unanswered points during the first quarter.

The Predators looked to get back in the game during the second period with a converted touchdown 3 minutes before the break.

But the “Men in Black” stepped things up the second half when Dixon- J Cube wrapped up an impressive day at the office with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

With both teams having ran up five wins each, but Edinburgh having dropped one game so far, this was a must win match for both sides.  

Victory could decide the destination of the Scottish title and with East v West bragging rights at stake; hopes were high that this was going to be a real “Demolition Derby”

And the signs were there that this was going to live up to the pre billing with the medics on the field after the opening kick-off when Ronnie “Pebbles” Gaffin had to hobble out of the game with an ankle injury.

Then after an ineffective opening drive from Edinburgh, Glasgow soon started to stamp their authority on the game with some powerful running on their opening series from the two Lewis – King and Begbie , ending with the latter , backed with some great blocking from the rock solid O Line, ran through the middle for the opening score.

Then it was down to the King to roll in with the successful two point conversion attempt for an 8-0 lead.

The Predators were in more trouble when quarterback Ben Edelshain was intercepted by Nick Halfpenny.  And then were punished for the turnover when as in the first score, Begbie ran in his second touchdown of the day, with King running in a second conversion

 Then in the latter stages of the first period, the Tigers stretched their lead when Gregor Beattie sent a great pass to David Teanan at the Edinburgh 16 yard line.

Minutes later King extended the Tigers lead with a touchdown and a conversion to give them 24 unanswered points.

If the Predators were going to continue this form then it was going to be a very long day for them.

And the visitors started the second quarter with more urgency, with the Tigers starting to struggle in getting the decisive tackles in.

But it was not till the latter stages of the half that the visitors were posing a serious threat to the Tigers red zone and exposed some poor defending by the home side when Edelshain sent an easy lob to a wide open Lewis Hall.

Their confidence continued to rise when Ritchie Stenham pulled in the two point conversion attempt.   Could this be the sign of a comeback – unfortunately no!

The Tigers went back to basics and to what gave them their impressive start during the early stages of the third quarter when King ran in from 8 yards another six points, with David Main adding the PAT.

The rout continued when a screen pass to Ewan Beasley, who took ball into the endzone for another 6 points with Begbie adding another conversion attempt to make it 40-8.

The Tigers stepped up the pressure with a great punt return by Halfpenny deep into Edinburgh territory.  Minutes later, Rory McAlpine took advantage of some poor Edinburgh defending for another touchdown, with quarterback Gregor Beattie sliding in for the two point conversion.

With the game now in the bag and with the possibility of points difference playing a part in the next stages of the play offs, it was important for the Tigers keep the momentum going.

And they certainly did during the final quarter, pushing the visitors back towards their goal line when Phil Najen powered through to make it 54-8.

Then the roof appeared to cave in on the east coast side when Edelshain was picked off by Matthew Crammond taking the ball back for another score, with Dixon J Cube adding the 2 point conversion.

And with minute of the game remaining, Dixon showed great determination running in the final score of the day, capping off a memorable day at the office for the Tigers.