The Rams travelled to Liverpool on Sunday to face the Nighthawks in what was the first game of the season for both teams.
The Rams kicked the game off and forced the home side to punt on their first drive. New signing Hytham Hamad got into the game quickly with some good runs but a strong Nighthawks defence, Rob Kumah being awarded their MVP for his solid contribution, held firm and the Rams punted away. Yorkshire got on the scoreboard though after four minutes when another new addition to the team, QB Simon Dewdney, went on a ‘sneak’ and scampered 66 yards for the score. The remainder of the first quarter was a game of defence.
The Rams piled pressure on Mersey for the start of the second quarter but found it hard to get to the red zone. Going into the final minutes, following some good runs by Hamad and last year’s top division two rusher, Justin Lester, Dewdney floated a pin point pass to Paul Calvert to go 28 yards but was brought down by a good tackle at the Nighthawks 2 yard line. Yorkshire notched their second TD on the next play when Jay Alexander, yet another new signing, went in for the six. As the half drew to a close the Nighthawks started to put on some pressure of their own but were stopped in the last few seconds by an interception by Tim Adams and the Rams went in 12 - 0 up.
At the start of the third period some good running by Hamad paid off with a score in the fourth minute. A hand off from Dewdney, who deservedly won the offensive MVP, got Hamad going around the right side of the ‘Hawks defence and the 26 yard run got the points. Dewdney ran in for the two points. The Rams defence kept the home side at bay, with Richard Donaldson getting the defensive MVP for his sterling work on the line, but Yorkshire’s Alexander grabbed a second touchdown for himself with 3 minutes to go in the quarter. Dewdney took the Rams up field and fed the ball to Alexander who rumbled his way through four tackles and 36 yards into the endzone. The two pointer was nabbed again by Dewdney.
The final period saw neither team being able to make headway with some strong defensive work on both sides. The final forty seconds saw plenty of action though. Merseyside got to the Rams’ 16 yard line where QB Andy Ley lobbed a pass into Yorkshire’s endzone but Adams batted the ball out of the receiver’s hands. Ley’s second pass was more successful with Dave Webb bringing the ball in at the back of the endzone for a consolation score. The ensuing kick off was gathered up by the Rams who ran out the clock and took the game 28 - 6.