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MATCH REPORTS<br />
Coventry University Jets -v- Derby Braves<br />
30th January <strong>2011</strong><br />
Jets 24 - 32 Braves<br />
The Coventry University Jets returned<br />
to action this week after a lengthy<br />
Christmas break and tasted defeat for<br />
the first time as they fell 32-24 to the<br />
Derby Braves in their debut road game.<br />
The Jets knew that the 2-1 Braves<br />
would pose a sterner test than their two<br />
previous contests even though their<br />
most recent result was 35-0 mauling at<br />
the hands of last years runner up, the<br />
Loughboro’ Aces.<br />
Rookie Head Coach Adam O’Reilly<br />
saw his team make the perfect start<br />
as Chris Hobbs returned the opening<br />
kick off 80 yards for a score and a 6-0<br />
lead. Right tackle Jacques Wood’s key<br />
block sprang the speedy running back,<br />
who missed the previous game through<br />
injury, and allowed him to gallop<br />
untouched into the endzone. The extra<br />
point conversion failed after a bad<br />
snap, thwarting Coventry’s attempt to<br />
extend their early advantage.<br />
Derby responded well, driving down<br />
inside the Jets’ 10 yard line only to<br />
be stopped short by a magnificent<br />
goal line stand. The jubilation on<br />
Coventry’s sideline was short-lived<br />
however as their offence took over in<br />
the shadow of their own goal posts and<br />
proceeded to gift their hosts two points<br />
on a safety with another botched snap.<br />
The Braves seized momentum and<br />
began to pound away with fullback<br />
dives and halfback toss plays to add<br />
two more scores for a 16-6 lead. The<br />
Jets continued to move the ball well<br />
and managed a response before the<br />
half, quarterback Josh Randall hooked<br />
up with receiver Steven Bryan for a<br />
15 yard touchdown and Josh Hughes<br />
added the PAT to make it 13-16 Derby<br />
at the half.<br />
16 <strong>Inside</strong> <strong>American</strong> <strong>Football</strong> - <strong>May</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Receiving the ball at the start of the<br />
second half, the Braves mounted an<br />
impressive scoring drive to extend<br />
their lead back to two scores at 24-<br />
13. Jets’ kicker Josh Hughes booted<br />
an impressive first field goal from 44<br />
yards out to pull his team back within<br />
eight as Coventry’s defence began<br />
to exert some pressure. Even though<br />
defensive Captain Michael Billinghurst<br />
was carried from the field with a<br />
suspected spinal injury, Alex Clarke,<br />
Aniteye Plahar and Aaron Haslam all<br />
found big plays, picking off Braves’<br />
veteran quarterback Peter Ashenden.<br />
As Coventry’s offence began to labour<br />
though, their defence finally cracked<br />
and the Braves managed to re-establish<br />
their power running game to find the<br />
endzone once again. The plucky Jets<br />
refused to lie down though and Randall<br />
once again hit Bryan for their second<br />
touchdown of the afternoon making<br />
it 32-24 as Randall was successful<br />
with a two point conversion, Kieran<br />
Munnelly his target this time.<br />
Coach O’Reilly showed faith in his<br />
defence getting him the ball back and<br />
decided against the onside kick. “Our<br />
defence gave a great showing today,<br />
they’re improving as a unit all the<br />
time” said O’Reilly, whose faith was<br />
rewarded as Plahar came up with a<br />
fumble recovery in Braves’ territory.<br />
Coventry had a final chance to take<br />
the game into overtime but couldn’t<br />
convert as they turned the ball straight<br />
back over to Derby who were able to<br />
run down the clock.<br />
“I’m very disappointed to have lost the<br />
game” stated O’Reilly “but I’m very<br />
pleased with the performance we gave.<br />
We’d added a few new plays over the<br />
break and the offence went out today<br />
and executed them very well, they’re<br />
#83 chris hoBBs scoreD<br />
oN the oPeNiNg kickoff<br />
with aN 82 yarD returN<br />
Photo courtesy of BeN<br />
wooD<br />
coveNtry uNiversity<br />
Jets QuarterBack Josh<br />
raNDall comPletes<br />
aNother Pass.<br />
Photo courtesy of<br />
BeN wooD<br />
starting to gel and if we continue to<br />
play like that we’ll have a good season.<br />
We were always in the game today, all<br />
three units saw to that. Our receivers,<br />
as a group, put on a real show today<br />
and will continue to improve as the<br />
season goes on.<br />
Up next for the Jets are the Warwick<br />
Wolves in Coventry’s Varsity match.<br />
The game will be played at the<br />
Wolves’ Westwood Sports Centre with<br />
a 12:00 kick off and should prove to be<br />
a real grudge match between two sides<br />
that know each other very well. No<br />
fewer than 10 Jets players previously<br />
wore the red and black of Warwick as<br />
did three of their coaches. The links<br />
don’t end there though, Jets offensive<br />
coordinator Graham Huber previously<br />
worked as Head Coach of the Wolves.<br />
Coventry currently sit sixth in the<br />
British Universities <strong>American</strong> <strong>Football</strong><br />
League’s Midland Athletic Conference<br />
with the Wolves lying one place below.<br />
O’Reilly won’t be looking to do his<br />
former team any favours “They’ve<br />
not scored in two of their games so<br />
far this year and we’ll be looking to<br />
continue that run and shut them out.<br />
We set out this year with the aim of<br />
winning as many games as possible<br />
and we’re progressing nicely. Making<br />
the Challenge Trophy playoffs would<br />
be an incredible achievement for a first<br />
year programme and whilst there’s still<br />
a long way to go we’ve put ourselves<br />
in with a shout”.<br />
...Adam Etheridge & Mark Higham
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