Essex Blades - News

Pre-Season Camp

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:17:59 GMT

The Blade's pre-season camp for the 2011/12 season was a success as the returning players were put through their paces by the new coaching staff headed my former player Adam Burrows.

Head Coach Steps Down.

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:19:16 GMT

After six years on the Essex Blades coaching staff Neil O'Hare has resigned from the Head Coach position with immediate effect. The Blades would like to thank Neil for his work during these six years and taking the Blades undefeated in his time here. The Blades organization wish him all the best for his future endeavours.

The Homecoming v UEA

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:27:06 GMT

30th January 2011 - On a surprisingly sunny winter day the Essex Blades American Football Team were visited by bitter varsity rivals, the UEA Pirates. Over recent years the two teams have always been equally matched, and after a disrupted first half of the season neither team had played many games, resulting in a clogged schedule. The Blades for instance are scheduled 5 of their 8 game season plus playoffs and Derby Day after the recent winter holidays.

This was to be the Blades first home game of the season and had been advertised around campus as 'The Homecoming' and thanks to the publicity of the event by James Woodward a bumper crowd turned up out to watch what the league website, www.buafl.net, called 'a mouthwatering clash between bitter rivals.'

The Blades kicked the game off behind the trusty leg of 3rd year Ash Ramsey with rookie Mike Adeyeye flying down the field to make the tackle. The Blades defence anchored by James Thornton and returning star man Alex Robinson stopped the initial Pirates drive, causing them to punt the ball the Blades offence.

The offence, being led by Quarterback James Woodward stuttered in their first drive, making gains but then having them nullified by penalties, ultimately causing a punt back to UEA. The teams traded possession again before the Blades finally managed to break the deadlock with Alex Robinson, also playing Full-Back in his first game back from injury, burst through the middle of the offensive line and sprinted straight past the deeper defenders to score. The ever reliable Ramsey added the extra point, putting the Blades up 7-0.

Onto the second quarter and the Pirates opened their account on the score board with a touchdown however their extra point kicked was blocked due to a strong rush by Defensive Tackle Ernesto Gouveia Gove Jr, leaving the score at 7-6. Continuing their strong season the Blades special teams got a great return from the resulting kick off, starting their next possession deep in the Pirates half. They continued to drive down to the Pirates 4 yard line where Running Back Simon Cruise was stripped of the ball while attempting to get more yards.

Turnovers like this are usually key to American Football and UEA took full advantage and swinging the momentum back to them with the fumble recovery and then a 97 yard touchdown run from their impressive Running Back. They failed to convert the extra point again, putting the Pirates ahead by 12-7.

The Blades regrouped however and before the half ended managed to drive down the pitch again under strong running by Ramsey before Woodward managed to connect on a pass to Running Back Chris Palmer in the endzone, Ramsey converted the extra point and the Blades went into the half up 14-12.

After kicking off in the first half the Blades received the opening kick off of the 2nd half but due to UEA's concerns with the Blades return team they elected to kick short to avoid the misdirection of the Starburst return. The Blades offence wasn't quite as sharp in the 2nd half, after a strong first half showing, mainly due to mental errors. This was especially prevalent in the passing game with the likes of the experienced Cruise dropping passes after finding gaps in the Pirates coverage.

The Pirates regained the lead with the first score of the second half, but again were unable to convert on their point after attempt. They now led 18-14. As the Blades offence continued to stutter the Pirates began to find gaps in the Blades pass coverage and managed to extend their lead to 24-14 after a catch and run by one of their receivers, this was greatly helped by their elusive Quarterback whom the Blades defenders couldn't quite seem to get down.

Down but not out the Blades got the ball back and managed to pull close on the scoreboard with Robinson again charging through the line and outpacing the UEA defence to score his second touchdown of the game. Again behind the reliant leg of kicker Ash Ramsey the extra point was successful meaning that the score was now 24-21.

The next few possessions were mainly a defensive contest with neither offence being able to move the ball with much conviction until UEA managed to break a run to the outside which meant that they were a few mere yards from extending their lead over the Blades. On the next play the Blades almost grabbed the advantage with a UEA fumble which was recovered by Rookie Charles Mulvihill only to have the referees say a UEA player had recovered it first. This could have been a huge momentum turner but in fact it meant that the after a failed extra point attempt the score was now 30-21.

The Blades now needed to score twice in order to wrestle the game back into their control. As is the way with most teams chasing a quick score at the end of the game the Blades turned to the passing game and Quarterback, James Woodward, found running back Chris Palmer who broke 4 tackles to run for 20 yards after the catch and set up the offence with 40 yards of the endzone with two minutes left on the clock. However Woodward was unable to put the ball in the endzone instead whilst trying to force the ball down the field threw an interception all but ending the Blades hopes of victory.

After this defeat, it leaves the Blades with one victory and two losses on the season heading into a busy schedule of four games in four weeks. Hopefully the Blades can move on from this setback and put their season back on track when they play their next game against the Kent Falcons on Sunday.

Blades @ Falcons

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 01:32:24 GMT

28th November 2010 - In the 2nd game of their now back-loaded schedule the Essex Blades were again off to Canterbury but this time to face long time rivals the University of Kent Falcons. The two teams have played each other many times over the past few years, with most of the games being tense nail-biters of which the Blades have managed to pull out the victory. Eve when not playing each other the two clash as the Blades narrowly beat the Falcons into the playoffs through tiebreakers last season.

However with talk of a dominant Falcons D-Line and an American Quarterback circling, as well as a crushing defeat of the UEA Pirates 49-0, the Falcons appeared to have turned a corner. Contrast this with a Blades team who had just scraped a win against the Canterbury Chargers in their last game 7-6 and there was all the omens for a blowout. But in true Blades fashion, nothing is ever as simple as it first appears.

After worryingly waiting around for their iced-in buses the Blades eventually set off to Kent a little late resulting in a rushed warm-up. The Blades won the toss and elected to defer to the 2nd half with Kent choosing to take the ball from the opening kickoff.

After good kickoff coverage the Falcons offence started in their own half, but after only a few plays managed to find a gap in the Blades coverage as their QB threw a swing pass to star player Russ Jordan who outpaced the defence to score the opening TD of the game. The Falcons then went for a 2-point conversion and got it with another pass play with the quarterback hitting his receiver near the sideline.

Rather than this being the opening of the floodgates the Blades made sure to make a statement on the following kickoff return. Running their starburst kick return, veteran Simon Cruise managed to turn the corner and sprinted straight past the confused defenders to score his first touchdown since returning from America. The extra point was then kicked by Ash Ramsey, making the score 8-7.

On the ensuing kickoff the Falcons almost had a return touchdown of their own as their returner reversed field to the left after seeing the right side blocked up however a chasing cover tackle by Club President Phillip Casson stopped that in its track. The two teams then traded possessions without score to end the first quarter.

Both teams were unable to get their full offences opened up as the Blades shut down the Falcons rushing attack, opting to rely on their passing game while the Blades passing attack, lead by Darren Campbell, couldn't get going as the Blades relied on their running backs to drive up the field.

The Falcons were next to score with their star man Jordan with another long catch and run. They however missed the conversion, attempting to hit the same play that they converted on the first time, but the Blades Defensive Backs had wised up to it and broke the pass up. Jordan, playing both receiver and linebacker was being handled well by the Blades Offensive Line and Running Back, minimising his impact when running to his size of the field. The half ended 14-7, significantly closer than expected.

The 2nd half opened with the Falcons kicking off, but now attempting to keep the ball away from the speedy Blades returners by kicking short and even out of bounds to avoid the potential return. The two sides continued to trade possessions before the Blades started to drive with strong running from Fullback Chris Palmer and Wingbacks Ramsey and Williams-Wint. The Blades continued to draw the Falcons Defence into focusing on the run before Tight End Casson managed to haul in a pass from Quarterback Campbell, despite the tight coverage of the Falcons Defensive Backs for the touchdown. Ramsey maintained his 100% kicking record, tying the game at 14-14.

With no further score the game then moved into the fourth and final quarter. Both teams, despite the falling temperatures, the teams continued to battle on, but both teams drives were stalling as they traded possession of the football. Ultimately though the Falcons managed to get another deep connection, a deep pass meant for Jordan was caught by a Falcons receiver running a slightly shallower route going the opposite direction, who wrong footed the deep covering defenders and ran it in for the touchdown. Again attempting the 2-point conversion and getting it, the Falcons were now up 22-14, with very little time left. The Blades attempted to score but were unable to put a drive together and the Falcons eventually ran out the clock and won the game.

Despite the loss the Blades took a lot from their defeat, standing in against tough opposition, despite poor execution. The Blades now look forward to their next game, their 'Homecoming,' January 30th against varsity rivals the UEA Pirates in their first home game of the season.

MVP's

Overall - Simon Cruise

Offence: Darrin Wilson

Defence: Sebastian Doughty

Special Teams: Ash Ramsey

Blades @ Chargers

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:56:22 GMT

Sunday 14th November - The Essex Blades American Football team started out their 10th anniversary season with a hard fought win over the Canterbury Christ Church Chargers in horrendous conditions.

With the dropout of the Anglia Ruskin Phantoms the Blades had a delayed start to their season but this allowed them to have a more extensive pre-season, including a scrimmage against local senior league outfit, the Colchester Gladiators. The extended pre-season allowed the new rookie class to learn the game more comprehensively and become more amalgamated into the team.

On arrival to Canterbury's ground, the Blades realised the sunshine they had left in Essex had not made its way to Kent as they were greeted by a heavy downfall of rain. The conditions worsened as the game progressed meaning that any thought of a passing game was ruined before it even started for returning Quarterbacks, James Woodward and Darren Campbell, who was back from his year in New Zealand. This meant that the onus on offence was down to the running backs to move the ball and score. Unfortunately the conditions were also affecting the running backs as the ball became so slippery that it was hard for anyone to keep a hold of especially as the rain became more and more torrential. Despite this Essex seemed to be getting the upper hand, making more big plays than the Canterbury offence as the offensive line, buoyed by veteran lineman Luke Clark as well as some impressive rookies, including American Darrin Wilson continue to drive the Canterbury defenders back. However the Blades couldn't manage to punch it in as a combination of penalties and mistakes, which were largely down to the appalling conditions, ended their drives. On the other side of the ball, the defence, who were missing a few starters due to travelling issues, were playing well with rookies Charles Mulvihill and Rowan Cooke doing well alongside the ever impressive Hentley Ignatius.

The first half drew to a close tied at 0-0 as neither of the two sides could make the big play to put them in the endzone, despite the arrival of the other Blades who had made their own way to the game. The game continued on in the same frustrating manner. The middle of the pitch was now a quagmire so both teams tried to get the ball to the outside with the Chargers using their elusive Quarterback and trick plays to make their way down the field. Eventually the tide couldn't be stemmed any longer and the quarterback managed to get outside and evade the defensive cover to score. On the extra point attempt the Chargers lined up to kick the ball but attempted to fake it but Mulvihill read the play and intercepted it, leaving the score at 0-6.

This score sparked the Blades offence who then proceeded to drive up the field behind the powerful running of Christopher Palmer and the speed of Simon Cruise, who had earlier had a touchdown called back for a holding penalty. After making their way into the Chargers red zone they were in prime position to score but a false start by Wilson pushed the Blades back. However he was redeemed on the next play as he and the rest of his linemates pushed aside the Chargers defence for Leaf to charge through and carry defenders into the end zone for the score tying the game at 6-6. This left kicker Ash Ramsey in a pressure situation, his kick would be enough to win the game, but in the swamp that was left it was always going to be difficult. However a clean snap and good hold allowed him to slot it through the uprights and put the Blades ahead.

All that was left to do for the defence to hold strong, which they managed to do. This allowed the offence to run out the clock and win the game. Despite the tough game the Blades are optimistic about their season but know that they have a lot of work to do.

Game MVP - Christopher Palmer

Offensive MVP - Simon Cruise

Defensive MVP - Charles Mulvihill

Special Teams MVP - Ash Ramsey

Blades @ Redhawks

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:25:14 GMT

The match report from yesterdays game can now be found at the Essex Blades AFC Blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades Vs Stingers

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:06:42 GMT

The match report for yesterdays game is now available at the Essex Blades AFC Blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades @ Phantoms

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:20:22 GMT

The matcb report for yesterdays match can now be found at the Essex Blades AFC Blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades Vs Pirates

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:15:48 GMT

The match report for yesterdays match can now be found at the Essex Blades AFC Blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades @ Pirates

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:12:59 GMT

The match report from yesterdays game can now be found at the Essex Blades AFC blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades Vs Chargers

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:53:53 GMT

The match report from yesterdays game can now be found at the Essex Blades AFC Blog >> Essex Blades AFC Blog

Blades Vs Hurricanes

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:34:56 GMT

Well its that time of year again; when all the summer talking stops and we start to get an idea of who has recruited well and who is going to be in for a long season. The Essex Blades opened the season in front of a bumper crowd on their home field against the ever impressive Hertfordshire Hurricanes; both teams wanting to put the past months training into action and to start the season with a win.

The game started very evenly, with both defences stopping the opposition relatively quickly; a pattern which continued for most of the 1st quarter until the Blades were pinned within their own 5 yard line thanks to some accurate Hertfordshire punting. On the second attempt to get out of the single yardage zone, the Blades running back was brought down in the endzone by a Hurricanes linebacker who broke through the line to record the 1st points of the season; 2-0. This gave the Hurricanes a boost, which helped them to drive the field on their next offensive series for the score courtesy of their powerful yet fast backs and able receivers; 9-0. The 2nd quarter continued in much the same fashion with both offenses finding their feet and becoming more and more confident. However, it was to remain a tight defensive battle with just the one score before the half. Now in the lead, the Hertfordshire offense really started to pick up the pace and test the hard working Blades defence until mid-quarter when another impressive drive was capped with a score. The kicker slotted the extra point through the posts to send the Blades in at the half down 16-0.

Essex started the 2nd half with the ball, and after a good return, the offense took to the field and seemed to have the upper edge on their opponents for a while as they drove most of the field behind some powerful running by fullback John Hunt. Unfortunately this progress was halted just short of field goal range and the resulting 4th down conversion attempt was stopped. Determined to make up for their defences slow start to the half, the Hertfordshire offense took to the field and wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game with the running back breaking through the line for a 40 yard score on the 1st play from scrimmage; 21-0 (XP Missed). The Blades offense continued to improve as the game went on and had a strong second half in terms of moving the ball but they were unable to find that final, killer touch to break open the Hurricanes defence for the score. The game ended with Hertfordshire, keeping with consistency, and driving 40 yards following an interception to record their fourth offensive score in as many quarters (XP Blocked) to open their season with an away win of 28-0.

The Hurricanes will take this win and look to build on it on Sunday when they host the UEA pirates. Essex will now be looking to build on the many encouraging signs that they showed against the Hurricanes whilst also looking to smooth out any wrinkles before hosting the Greenwich Mariners this Sunday. This will be Greenwichs season opener so the Blades will hoping to take advantage of the game that they already have under their belt to capitalise on any rustiness shown by the Mariners.

New Team Sponsor

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:40:59 GMT

The Essex Blades are proud to announce a partnership with sportswear company EP Sports. Founded in 2007, EP Sports specialise in providing high quality equipment and sportswear that aims at optimising atheletes performance. Drawing on their own experience within the American Football community, they stock a wide range of American Football equipment that the Blades plan the to take full advantage of as part of their plans to grow and improve as an American Football club. The EP Sports product range can be found at the following address: www.epsports.co.uk

A new season looms

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:44:47 GMT

The Essex Blades are looking forward to a good season in 2009/10. Great progress was made in 2009 with the team winning their final 4 games including a victory over the reigning BUAFL champions; the Southampton Stags. A new intake of rookies will take to the field along with some very experianced players. Head Coach Neil O'Hare will be taking control of the team for his 5th year with the help of Matt Roberts, Tarquin Stephenson and Karl Bourke in coaching positions.

The new website

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:46:49 GMT

With a new season comes a new website. We would like to welcome you all to the new website of the Essex Blades and hope that you enjoy the new design and functions available to you.

Website by Jonathon Joyce and Michael & David Walton