SWINDON STORM 28

JURASSIC COAST RAPTORS 3

ON AN overcast and drizzly June day the Jurassic Coast Raptors made the coach trip to battle the Swindon Storm but fell 28-3.

Raptors, well rested having had a five-week break after the first game, were raring to go. The Storm were looking to bounce back after an unexpectedly lopsided 19-2 loss to a rampant Bournemouth Bobcats team.

The two teams last met in the Raptors’ final game of the 2016 season when the Storm were chasing a promotion into a higher league and won the contest comfortably, but the Raptors were hoping to be much more competitive this time around.

The Raptors received the opening kick-off and on the very next play David Laleye broke a huge 60-yard run, only being caught and tackled after he had stumbled slightly.

Raptors could not move any further but kicked a field goal for an early 3-0 lead.

A defensive battle ensued for the rest of the quarter with neither team making significant headway.

Raptors’ defensive line of Ben Townsend, Jonas Schwenck, Sonny Chester and John O’Conner was immense, and credit must be given to linebackers Harrison Pothecary and rookie Tony O’Connell, stopping all Swindon attempts to run up the middle.

However, in the second quarter Swindon started figuring out their tactics as they were having success running the ball around the edge of the scrimmage.

Storm also had some success with their passing attack and it was a pass into the back-right corner of the endzone and a converted two-point attempt that put them 8-3 up at half-time.

The second half started again as a struggle for both offences, Mick Muir stepping in at quarterback for the Raptors.

Jamie Lamb-Foster had a couple of decent runs into enemy territory, but the Raptors could not get any momentum going, and on top of this, suffered a few injuries.

Raptors’ danger man, David Laleye, was still on the field but clearly not at full speed, suffering an ankle strain, and both the starting cornerbacks went down too, bizarrely on the same play.

The Raptors gave it their all, but with the backup players on the pitch mistakes were creeping in and Swindon ended up scoring three more touchdowns in the closing stages to make the final score 28-3.

Potential players, coaches and support personnel interested in joining the Raptors can get in contact via their Twitter and Facebook accounts, or email them through raptorsfootball@outlook.co.uk.