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The Redditch Arrows took the first step towards their ultimate goal on Sunday, as they secured their place in the
play-offs with a gritty 27-0 away victory against the Merseyside Nighthawks in sweltering conditions.
With so much at stake, the Arrows came storming out of the blocks with running back Mark Collett taking the
opening kick-off 71 yards down field to set up a first and goal situation. In what would be a trend for the whole game, the Nighthawks defence yielded no easy yards whilst putting in several
solid hits, leaving Redditch with a fourth and goal from the 3 yard line. From there running back Dave Mills got the call, and hammered home with a tough inside run for the day's first
touchdown. Kicker John Riddell added the extra point for an early 7-0 lead to the Arrows.
The rest of the first quarter was dominated by both teams' defences, and it was the Arrows defence who grabbed
the game's next score in the following period. Safety John Ward made the big play as he diagnosed a Nighthawks running back option pass, stepping in front of the intended receiver to grab his
first interception of the season. As he was being wrestled to the floor, he alertly managed to slip the ball to linebacker Andy Mortimer, who followed a vicious block by Karl Watkins and
sprinted in for the touchdown. John Riddell again converted to bring the score to 14-0, which it remained to halftime.
In the third quarter both teams offences struggled to get much momentum going, with the Arrows running game being
held to a 3.7 average per rush, against their usual 5.5. The Arrows came the closest to scoring but could not convert a fourth and goal from the 5-yard line, but similarly did not allow the
Nighthawks to get themselves back into the game. Defensive end Noel Fischer lead the team from the front, and would finish the game with 8 tackles, 1 pass defended and a fumble recovery,
despite playing with an injured shoulder.
As the final period started it was becoming a more pass-orientated game as the Nighthawks fought to stage a
comeback. But it was the Arrows who got more joy through the air, with quarterback Richard Wilde finding receiver Phil Grove wide open down the left sideline from 19-yards out for the Arrows
third touchdown of the day, with the extra point being added by John Riddell. Following another 3 and out by Merseyside, the Arrows got one last score when quarterback Wilde again found
receiver Phil Grove open, this time down the right sideline. Grove put a great move on the covering defenders, and then had the pace to carry in from 71-yards capping a fine individual
performance (7 catches for 152 yards, 2 touchdowns) and moving himself atop the teams scoring list for the season (42 points).
The Arrows will now look forward to the next task of winning Division 2 - Central, and then securing homefield
advantage for the playoffs, so no game will be taken lightly over the final month of the regular season.
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