Manchester Titans American Football Club

The Leicester Falcons travelled to Manchester today and put an end to the Titans perfect record for 2009 knocking them out of the playoffs to end any hopes of a Britbowl appearance.

The first half started with a long Titans drive which saw the Titans take seven minutes off the clock but unable to penetrate the Falcons defense the Titans settled for a Ryan Farrell field goal.

Leicester managed to move the ball downfield on the ground in response but were also unable to penetrate the Titans defense until the second quarter when the falcons Timi Dada broke through to score on a 21 yard run but the point after was no good. It was to turn out to be Timi Dada’s day as he continually exposed the injury ravaged Titans secondary with most of the starters watching from the stands.

After a blocked field attempt by Ryan Farrell, Alan Mead found his favourite touchdown target this season Chris Heap for 6 to take the lead back but the point after was again no good and with the Falcons Andy Hill capitalising on another huge Timi Dada run to score again regain a lead that the Falcons were never to lose again finishing the first half with a 3 point lead at 12 – 9.

The second half began with the Falcons returning the kick off into the endzone only to have it called back for a block in the back. The Falcon then scored from the first play from scrimmage of the second half to take the lead to 18 – 9. The Titans could do nothing with the next drive and the Falcons once again drove downfield to score and complete the point after taking the score to 25 – 9.

The Titans found their last flourish on a day that was not to be theirs with a long pass from Alan Mead to Adam Simms for a touchdown on possibly Simms’ best performance for the Titans to take the score going into the fourth quarter to 25 – 15 to perhaps give the Titans hope but this was to be extinguished by 2 touchdowns from the Falcons and the failure of the Titans to complete in spite of some excellent play by Mead, Simms and Chris Heap.

The game was decided by the Titans inability to move the ball on the ground today meaning that despite some excellent pass protection and excellent play by the receiving corps, Alan Mead was unable to utilise the full array of weapons at his disposal making defending a much easier job for the Falcons. Missing running backs Ricky Whittle and Antony Bingham also reduced the Titans backfield to just 3 backs all game. Defensively, the line produced some excellent penetration breaking through the Falcons much feted line all day long to catch the runners in the backfield on several occasions and forcing the Falcons QB to scramble desperately, their inability to shut down the secondary due to injuries to Jonasz Bala, Martin Fitzpatrick and a case of food poisoning for Jeremy Walker leaving the Titans secondary with a lack of pace and energy meant that the Falcons were able to do something all other teams have failed to do against the Titans all season long, move the ball. This was clearly not destined to be the Titans day.

The Falcons now play Glasgow Tigers in their next game and the Titans wish both teams the best of luck for the rest of the playoffs.

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