Durham learn to fly as Saints get their wings

IT WAS ONE of those deceptively chilly days; the sun in the sky had minimal cloud cover, leaving the terrain perfect for battle.

This was not just any battle, this was a battle with history, a battle that meant more than just the result at the end of match.

There are no words to describe the immense rivarly between Durham and hated opposition Newcaslte.

As such, it’s fair to say that the weather was not on the mind of the Durham Saints that day.

They were focused on a more pressing matter; the return of the Newcastle Raiders to the hallowed ground of the Gridiron at Maiden Castle.

This long anticipated rematch, previously postponed due to bad weather, had a deeper meaning for both teams than just the last game of the season.

For Newcastle, winning would mean an unbeaten season and the ability to prove they really are the best team in the North.

For Durham, the chance was to secure their unbeaten at home record and finally pin one to the formidable foe that has dominated the Northern conference for some time now.

The stakes could not have been higher and the tension was evident before the start of play.

Newcastle had already secured a place in the playoff, yet Durham’s win here would secure them a place in the playoffs for the first time in history.

If Durham lost, their fate would rest in the hands of the Spartans – those from Sunderland, not ancient Greece.

With both teams coming out fighting for their respective titles and achievements, they each showed strong promise.

The Saints had never been so brave, and in the first half a strong performance from the defence held back the Raiders to just 16 – 0 with only two touchdowns under their belt.

Against a team that’s unbeaten and with few points scored against them this season, this performance is nothing to be laughed at.

Training in the weeks leading up to today’s game had involved the long awaited plan of stopping Newcastle’s formidable double wing. This task was eagerly hoped for, not only by the team and coaches, nor simply by all the supporters of the Saints – dare I say it, the rest of the league wanted it achieved too.

Luckily, this was a feat that Durham were secretly confident of being able to achieve after their intense training.

Newcastle’s formation – albeit boring – is the reason behind their success. Similarly, their offense lacked flair, but remained effective.

The Saints, despite great pass coverage from James Muller and continuous tackling and pressurising of the Newcastle quarterback by the entire defensive line, were unable to cope with the opposition.

However, special mention should be given to the outstanding Andrew Sheppard, later given defensive MVP, and Mark Fulton-Peebles.

Despite these efforts the offence were unable to make a dent against Newcastle’s zone defence.

However, after the half-time break and an uplifting refuel from Red Bull, the Saints appeared to take flight.

The offence, now appearing more focused, brought some nice attempts to the third and fourth quarter, with some nice pass completions and runs by both veteran running-back Rob Burkhill, and newbie Matt Wertheim.

However, the long-standing Newcastle team proved to be just too strong for the Saints, who are only in their second full season of play.

The Saints played their hearts out, but like all great tragedies it was not to be. Still, all was not lost as the home side crossed their finger and prayed for a Sunderland loss.

The dream was not to come true for Durham.

Sunderland had unfortunately beaten Glasgow, and Durham’s playoff future would rest on next week’s Sunderland/Scot match up.

Let’s hope history can repeat itself and have the Scots come through for a win, to send Durham into the playoffs.