Normal Service Resumes

Conditions for the Ipswich Cardinals American football teams home opener at the Northgate sports centre on Sunday could not have been better!
In direct contrast to the previous meeting between the Ipswich side and their opposition from Canterbury, the East Kent Mavericks, which was played in atrocious weather back on the 2nd of May, it was roasting in Sunny Suffolk!
And the action on the field was pretty hot as well. After Radio Suffolk DJ Mark Murphy did the honours at the coin toss, the visitors kicked off and the hosts looked in no mood to waste time in the sunshine.
A well executed blend of rushing and passing ended with Stowmarket native Mike Bell scoring his first touchdown of the season, from 4 yards out.
Cardinals quarterback Don Byrd, despite playing with a heavily strapped ankle following last weeks defeat at Cambridge, looked composed and confident from the outset, and with the offensive line blasting holes for the runners to pass through and pass blocking in a tightly formed “wall”, things
looked promising already.
The Cardinals defense weren’t in the mood to lounge around in the heat either. Quickly snubbing out the Kent sides opening drive, Ipswich regained possession for their second drive.
Again, things went according to plan, although a couple of strange penalty decisions hindered progress. Until that is Byrd launched a beautiful rainbow pass over defenders into the hands of Tight End Mehalic Blair some 50 yards upfield. Blair sprinted the remaining 18 yards to the Mavericks endzone and, with Steven Baines kicking the extra point through the uprights successfully, it was 13 -0 to the Cardinals.
East Kents offense struggled to get a foothold as sacks from the marauding Niall Simmons and Shaun Rapley dropped the quarterback for losses, forcing a punt.
Into the second quarter and Ipswich’s third offensive series ended as well as the first two. The powerhouse that is fullback Paul Borstel trotted in untouched from 4 yards out. It was unusual to see Borstel crossing the goal line without at least 2 or 3 bodies hanging off him, he didn’t appear to mind!
Baines added the PAT (point after touchdown) for a twenty point lead.
Another quarterback sack, this time from Dominic Gordon epitomised the stingy Cardinals belligerent defense.
So to the fourth offensive series for Ipswich – and a fourth score! Another delightfully executed drive led by Byrd culminated in another touchdown pass to Blair. This time it was just from 16 yards and when Baines made it 27 points to 0, the contest was effectively over by halftime.
Ipswich Head Coach Ian Girling chose to ease off the pedal in the second half and give a chance to some of the less experienced members of the squad. Along with Defensive co-ordinator Tony Groden, the pair continuously rotated players throughout the third and fourth quarters. As a spectacle, it may have seemed to slow the pace of the game down – but after that inspired first half, anything would!
In the fourth quarter the Mavericks scored a consolation TD when their quarterback sneaked forward to break the plane of the goal line but it was the Cardinals day and their excellent, and by now bright pink, crowd cheered loudly.
Byrd was withdrawn in the closing stages, ably replaced by versatile Ben Salisbury, and disappointingly X rays have revealed a fractured bone in the quarterbacks foot.
There was still time in the game for further Cardinal sacks from Sandijs Jansen and Gareth Jooste while a mention should go to linebacker Gavin Bones who weighed in with the highest number of unassisted tackles.
The Cardinals next match is another away fixture on the 13th of June. Having not beaten their opponents the Kent Exiles since the club moved to their dilapidated ground in Crockenhill, after this win hopes are high to rectify that poor record!

Coach Girling