The Rams got to winning ways on Sunday with a good all round performance away at the Chester Romans. Two touchdowns by Jay Alexander set the trend for the game and excellent defence allowed Yorkshire to keep their points lead intact.
The Rams kicked the game off and with their defence not allowing anything through and Chester had to punt which ended deep in Yorkshire’s half. Jay Alexander gave the visitor’s the best of starts just four minutes into the game when on the Ram’s second play of the first drive he broke round the end and rumbled 69 yards for the score. Simon Dewdney split the posts to make it 7-0. Both defences then came into being with neither team moving the ball with any effect but the quarter finished with some good runs by the Romans.
The second period started with Chester still driving the ball but the Ram’s ‘D’ stood their ground and the home side went for a 33 yard field goal which just went wide. Yorkshire scored quickly again when Justin Lester was handed the pigskin and breaking three tackles went down the sideline for a 74 yard gain but was unluckily chased down at the Roman’s one yard line. On the next play Alexander smashed through the middle for the six. Dewdney again stepped up and the kick was good. 14-0. Chester started to string some good plays together after the kick off and helped by Yorkshire’s penalties got to Ram’s 40 yard marker. A well judged pass from James Keogh to Jonathan Manning pushed the Rams back deep in their own half and then were unlucky not to get a score but the TD run was pulled back on a penalty. Chester very nearly scored a safety near the end of the half when more penalties by the Ram’s pushed them to their own 2 yard line. On the snap, the Romans broke through to get hold of quarterback Paul Sherrat but he managed to break free and scramble away out of danger before being brought down.
Yorkshire started the third quarter much like the previous two, with a scoring drive. Dewdney, replacing the injured Sherrat, hit Paul Calvert with a 26 yard pass at the Roman’s 38 yard marker to start things moving. Powerful runs by Alexander and Rich Handby drove the ball to the home side’s 5 yard line from where Dewdney connected with new signing, JJ Forder, in the endzone to increase the scoreline. The one pointer by Dewdney made it 21-0. Another good show from Yorkshire’s defence forced Chester to punt but the Ram’s allowed a score when Dewdney was intercepted by Henry Abel who returned the ball 20 yards to put points on the board for the Romans. Yorkshire’s Dave Jackson broke through to block the kick leaving the score 21-6. A superb return by Calvert from the kick off put the Ram’s on the advantage but after making some ground the Roman’s defence held them back and forced the punt as the quarter closed.
The final period saw Chester moving the ball well with some good runs by Leon Cordingley, who was awarded an MVP by the Rams for an excellent game. Yorkshire’s defence then stepped up and halted Chester’s march who had to punt which started a drive for a Yorkshire score. Good runs by Alexander, Lester and Neil Stubbs ended with the ball on Chester’s eight and the score came with Lester’s untouched run into the endzone making it 27-6. Chester then started to raise their game and pulled some points back mid way through the period with a one yard scoring run by Peter Tootle, the kick went wide to leave the score 27-12. With both defences holding for a while it was close to the two minute warning before Yorkshire’s final score. Having being pushed back to their own five yard line Chester had to punt giving possession to the visitors then followed a good drive by the Rams which was topped by a ten yard pass from Rik Lowthion to Justin Kirby who was all alone in the endzone making the final score 33-12. Yorkshire’s Andy Hill got a sack on Keogh making the home side to try and force a consolation score but the final pass of the game was intercepted by Ram’s MVP Tim Adams to bring the game to a close.
Yorkshire’s next game is the second part of the Rose Bowl trophy against the Lancashire Wolverines on Sunday 23rd May. It will be at the Ram Stadium near Dewsbury with the kick off at 2:30 pm.