gridiron UK

Similarly to previously cyclocross and roller derby tomorrow the Beeb is showing the Under 19s and Premiership Britbowl american football finals on their web site only.

Devastated that Great Britain women's american football last night won their match against Finland but failed to win the European Championship by two points.  Towards the end our stomachs got so tight we felt ill but gratifying that Iceni Spear Victoria Ware playing defensive end for GB made such a contribution even if Pinky and Perky the commentators couldn't get her surname right.

We were surprised and much saddened to learn that Ipswich Cardinals owner and general manager Ralph Alexander has passed away, it seemed to ... more here

Sunday it looked like it was going to be an Ipswich Cardinals walkover with two early touch downs against an outnumbered East Kent Mavericks.  Approaching the end of the first half the Mavericks recovered their own dropped ball to run it in a ... more here

Before Sunday's match (the Bury Saint's last at home this season) the referee opined that correct male (there were no ladies playing) attire for gridiron is to ... more here

Norwich Devil #25 Joe Jacobs scoring the winning touch down last weekend has prompted comment.

Nice to have the refs back yesterday for Ipswich Cardinals 21-07 East Essex Sabres.  The Cards' 21 was done the hard way with two failed point after kicks but one safety.  The Cards are away to the Norwich Devils next weekend.

If you become an american football referee in the UK you get paid, get expenses, have a buddy/mentor when starting, there are at least two women refs in East Anglia, and you get called sir (or sometimes ma'am).  More info on the BAFRA web site.

Annoyingly the diversion for the closed Westerfield level crossing is NOT signed but we still made it to Ipswich Cardinals v Maidstone Pumas yesterday.  Surprisingly there were no refs and general manager Ralph Alexander said other games were also without officials, a shortage of refs?  Coaches and helpers substituted as officials (with timekeeping by Stan on a stopwatch he had in the car).  Very disorientating with no stripes on the field, we were confused where to look.  In the end the somewhat outnumbered Pumas who never got going were shut out 29-00.

To the east in the county the Bury Saints similarly shut out the Colchester Gladiators 58-00 ... a bit Suffolk eh?

Sunday the Red Lodge Pavilion car park was more then overflowing because there was a kid's soccer tournament as well as the season rematch of hosts Bury Saints and visitors the Cambridge Cats.  Despite the Cats' difficult to stop ... more here

The last three plays of Norwich Devils 31-31 Ipswich Cardinals yesterday seemed to confuse some of the players as much as it did us.  In the event a draw was a fair result  though unfortunate penalties badly hurt the Cards in the second half.  As always at the Cards a good day out with a steady queue for refreshing, soprano Sarah Gallop and a good size crowd including Marney from the Bury Saints.

Yesterday in Cambridge some twenty four Bury Saints outnumbered maybe two to one by hosts the Cambridge Cats had a very honourable 10-18 loss.  Two men with mobile phones were broadcasting the game live on student radio station Cam FM and a first for us, at the game end the refs understandably applauded the players.

At Ipswich Cardinals 14-14 East Essex Sabres in Thundersley (it's near Southend) a stick holder who didn't get out of the way soon enough has prompted much comment mostly from refs.

Made a nice change Sunday to snap american football without rain and/or hail.

It was pleasant Sunday to be snapping the Essex Blades v Royal Holloway Bears final without having a plastic bag over the camera unlike the last couple of weeks.  A decent turn out of supporters  and spectators including a good handful from the Ipswich Cardinals and impressively on the visitor's sideline too.  A 28-06 win for the Blades helped again by the scrambling of quarterback Will Molyneux.  When the two teams lined up at the end it became clear the Bears had been outnumbered by some two to one ... couldn't have helped.

Yesterday in Norwich the UEA Pirates beat the Exeter Demons fourteen to eight with weather including a dramatic hailstorm .  The Pirates are now promoted to the Premiership next season and progress to the Championship final in Loughborough Sunday week.