American football: Raptors make history in county town bow

The established Bobcats got the better of the Raptors on the day but Heinrich felt the hosts more than held their own during the friendly at Dorchester RFC’s Coburg Road ground.

The Raptors are hoping to play in the British American Football Association league system next year but first have to show league officials they are ready to make the step up.

Reflecting on last weekend’s momentous occasion, Heinrich said: “It was a success on many different levels.

"It was a positive event for the players and coaching staff but also for the town.

“We also managed to raise some money for charity and attract a bigger fan base.

“The Bobcats start their league season in a couple of weeks so the game gave them a chance to practice their plays.

“But considering they have been in existence for eight years and we’ve been going 18 months, our guys held their own."

“They hit just as hard and hustled just as much as the Bobcats, and a willingness to take part in contact is key in this sport.”

While the home side lost to a touchdown and safety, the likes of Luke Brown went on a number of surging runs, while Andy Whitbread stood out in defence.

However, a part of becoming a fully fledged league side is having squad big enough to be able to deal with the inevitable injuries that come with playing the sport.

Heinrich, who was quick to thank Dorchester RFC for all their help, added: “We’ve got a squad that can compete in friendly matches but it is nowhere near big enough to play in the league.

“A 10-game season takes its toll on players and you need 40-50 guys just to make up for the 20 per cent that are likely to get injured at some point.”

Maidstone Pumas will be the next team to visit the county town for a friendly fixture against the Raptors on July 12.

The club is also on the lookout for new sponsors and anyone interested should call Andrew Judd on 07549840960.