gridiron UK

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 again helped 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.

Despite initially an impressively completing pass game from visitors the Bath Killer Bees there was no first quarter score in Norwich today.  With touchdowns in both the second and fourth quarters the UEA Pirates won 14-00 assisted by running back #90 Cornelius Walters' impression of a double decker bus.  The Pirates now progress to the semi-finals playing at home to we think the Exeter Demons.

Today in Norwich and the playoffs the UEA Pirates beat the Queen Mary Vipers 14-06 and so progress to the quarter finals.

Yesterday's UEA Pirates v Kent Falcons american football in Norwich looked like it was going to be a native American game ... four quarters and no squaw ... sorry.  In the fourth quarter with very little time left the Pirate's punter was hassled into not kicking but responded with a splendid 20/30 yard run (one for the brand) followed by two decent running back bulls and eventually in for six.  That left Kent with maybe 47 seconds and despite a couple of very decent Hail Marys failed to return score.  Joy was definitely unconfined on the Pirates' sideline.  If UEA beat Queen Mary Uni away in London next Sunday unlike last year they will have home field advantage when they meet the Falcons again in the playoffs.