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to Dundee Hurricanes. This left the Arrows with the difficult position where they knew that they would probably have to go
unbeaten for the remainder of the season if they were to have any chance of making the play offs. To make matters worse the next game was away to West Coast Trojans, a rivalry which had
developed over the last 3 years and in which all games were fiercely contested.
The Arrows however regrouped and despite the long trip to Glasgow
came away with a 20-20 tie. The Arrows had the opportunity to win the game but a missed field goal ended those hopes.
A 60-0 win in the next match against Staffordshire saw the club
start to get some momentum. The new coaching regime was now beginning to tell and there was a real belief in the team that they could reach the demanding levels that the coaches were asking
for.
The turning point in the season was the next game against top of the
table and undefeated Dundee. The Arrows travelling up on the Saturday went with an almost full strength squad and in a bruising encounter came away with a 26-14 win. It was however the manner
in which the Arrows played as well as the result that was the most satisfying thing. Without doubt this performance and result was one of the best that the Club had ever achieved.
The Arrows now needed to beat Yorkshire to not only have the chance
to make the playoffs but also win the conference championship. 2 late score game them the vital 14-3 win and put them into pole position in the championship chase.
Further wins against Staffordshire and South Yorkshire set up a
final match of season showdown with West Coast. Going into the game the Arrows knew that a win would give them the championship, whilst defeat would leave them in the cold and allow West
Coast into the playoffs. As previously stated Arrows – Trojans match ups are normally decided by one score however on this occasion the Scottish team had no answer to a rampant
Arrows squad who ran out 40-6 winners to take the Conference Championship on a tie break from Yorkshire. The 2nd quarter against the Trojans saw the Arrows score 28 points in the best quarter of football the club had ever played.
The Arrows played Southern Sundevils in the Semi-Final. In a game of
two halves the Arrows were in complete control in the first half opening up a 27-3 lead, however in the second half Southern adjusted and came back strong to reduce the score to 30-22. To be
honest at the end the Arrows were hanging on and were grateful to hear the final whistle.
And so on to the Final against Sussex Thunder. The Arrows had early
setbacks with Dave Mills missing the final due to surgery and then losing Karl Watkins and Mike Sinyangwe to injury early on. Sussex opened up an early 6 point lead and the game then turned
into a fierce defensive battle with both teams struggling to move the ball. The Arrows levelled the game in the second half to send it into overtime. 3 periods of overtime were played during
which the Arrows had a couple of chances to win it before Sussex finally produced the goods in the fourth to take up a 8 point lead. The Arrows responded to bring the game to a 2 point
difference but a failed 2 point PAT saw the spoils go the Thunder and heartbreak to the Arrows.
Despite the defeat in the Final, 2008 has seen the Arrows grow significantly in stature. They
are now accepted within the sport as an up and coming force to be reckoned with. Head Coach Ian Hill stepped down at the end of the season to take on a Director of Football role within the
club in 2009. Defensive Coordinator Mark Williams accepted the role of Head Coach for the new season , a season the club goes into with high hopes of repeating the success of 2008.
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