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The Redditch Arrows biggest game in 23 years ended in
heartbreak on Saturday Night when they lost the most dramatic final ever staged in the UK 20-18 in a game which needed an unprecedented 4 overtime periods to separate the 2 teams. 3 times in
the overtime periods the Arrows had the chance to win the game only to come up short when a 2pt Pat attempt was tipped in the end-zone to give the Thunder the title.
Redditch started with the the ball but their first drive was ended
after only three plays, as an errant pass was picked off by the Thunder defense in good field position. To make matters worse the Arrows starting half-back Mike Simganwe limped off and could
only play a backup role for the rest of the game. This coupled with the loss before the game of Dave Mills to surgery meant that the Arrows had to make some major changes to their gameplan.
Enter the Sussex offense who quickly aired it out and made good ground to just outside the Arrows 10 yard line. They turned this into six points on aKington pass to Allman to
the left corner of the endzone, failing in converting the extra point they held a 6-0 advantage. During this lightening struck twice when arrows ever present safety Karl
Wartkins also limped off. A hungry Sussex defense harried the Redditch backfield, but Redditch made progress courtesy of their running game as they continued to find running lanes
through the Thunder line. Relentlessly the Arrows drove towards the Sussex line only for Toby Rhodes to fumble the ball away at the one yard line. Defensively the Arrows stiffened and
prevented Sussex making any meaningful yards which ended with the Thunder facing a 4th down 7.
Forced into punting the Thunder got a break as they recovered the
punt at the Arrows 43 yard line, once again Arrows held and teams swopped possession before a the Thunder attempted a 25 yard Field goal which went wide. The Sussex defense then gifted
the Arrows good field position on the back of a couple of penalties that moved the Midlanders to midfield. A position Redditch were to squander following a Thunder interception.
In the third quarter Sussex were once again threatening the Redditch
endzone as they looked to increase their advantage, but failed as a pass into the endzone was picked off by an Jam,es Hamilton of the Arrows. Redditch then appeared fo find some kind of
groove as on back to back plays they chewed up big chunks of yardage on the ground, as they advanced to the Sussex ten. The next play saw Redditch take it all the way into the endzone for the
levelling score on a Toby Rhodes 10 yard run, the point after was no good leaving the scoreline 6-6 to take into the last fifteen minutes of football.
The game which was never an open affair became more stifled as
neither team made any sustained progress in the fourth quarter. The punting teams certainly earned their corn in this encounter, following a Redditch punt the Thunder offense took the field
and made an instant impact with a 32 yard strike which moved them close to midfield. A penalty moved them backwards and left them facing a fourth and 20, enter the punter yet again. At
the two minute warning Redditch began the drive at their 30 yard line, pressure from the Thunder left the Arrows quarterback 11 yards further back from the original line of scrimmage.
Looking to dig themselves out of a hole in one play Redditch took to the air and Sussex gratefully picked it off, but returned the favour as they were intercepted in return. Arrows now had 99
yards to go in less than two minutes., they didn't and another punt ensued. Facing a fourth down with 8 seconds left Sussex tried one last play to get the win but an arrows penalty moved
the Sussex 5 yards closer to the end-zone. Not realising when the clock started, the Thunder failed to get lined up in time for a game winning kick attempt before the clock expired sending
the Final into overtime for the first ever time in britball history.
In the first overtime period Sussex had the ball first and made
little progress on their first three downs so went for the field goal which failed. The Arrows offense then took to the field, they too couldn't move the chains so they opted for the
field goal from 35 yards was just short sending the game into a second overtime period.
Thunder offense returned to the fray who also failed to make
headway, a holding penalty moved them ten further back, 3rd and 21 the Thunder executed a perfect screen pass but they still faced a 4th and 7. Then went for it, only to see the pass dropped.
Back came the Redditch offense who ran the ball three times before resorting to the fieldgoal unit, the attempt was no good but a Sussex penalty moved Redditch to 10 yard to set up a first
and goal. A dive up the middle advanced them to three, still they couldn't punch it in, re-enter the kicking team for a 22 yard attempt that was blocked.
Into the third overtime period came the Sussex offense, a pass
to the right looked to be good until a thunderous hit jarred the ball loose, next play a pass to the left the reception was good for the go ahead score. The two point conversion was no good.
Back came the Arrows first an incompletion then a touchdown strike from Wilde to Kieran Mcloed to level the game. Going for the win the Arrows could'nt get the ball in on the 2point PAT
, sending the game in a fourth overtime period..
The Sussex offense a quick pass drew a pass interference call on
Redditch, Sussex now first and ten from the twenty threw two incomplete passes. It wasn't to be three as the quarterback rolled out and found a receiver for the touchdown, the two
point conversion was good, advantage back to the Thunder. The Arrows offense took the field once more, and on a third down pass set up a first and goal from the five, next play touchdown
Redditch – Richard Wilde passing to Neil Solomon. Needing a successful 2 point PAT the Arrows hopes were finally extinguished when the pass into the end-zone was tipped away by the
Sussex defense and the win.
Sussex took the title in what turned out, in the end, to be a real
nail biter. The game which lasted just short of 4 hours has the record of being only British final ever to go into overtime – 4 times!
On Offense Mark Collett rushed for 124 yards on 31 carries and Tony
Rhodes 50 yards on 10 carries. On defense both Jon Ward and James Hamilton recorded interceptions. Overall the Arrows had 259 yards offense compared to 223 from Sussex, 17 first downs to 10
and 48 minutes to Sussex's 26 minutes possession.
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