Manchester Titans atLeeds Carnegie

54-14
Final Result

MATCH REPORT: U19s 54-14 Leeds Academy

Our U19 team bounced back from their loss to Nottingham with an emphatic 54-14 victory away at the Leeds Academy Assassins.  The sides came together pre-game to stand in memory of recent events in Manchester and London and of members of the American Football Family in Yorkshire.

Titans and Leeds Academy stand together
Titans and Leeds Academy stand together

These two teams were 1st and 2nd in the Northern Conference in 2016 with Titans winning a close game 14-12 but this time around the margin of victory was greater as 20 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter saw the Titans pull away.

The Titans received the opening kick-off and quickly moved the ball with former U17 captain RB Rebs Quinn taking the ball to midfield.  Quinn finished off the drive, running the ball home from short range, QB Ben Miles hit Anele Hlongwane for the 2PAT making the score 8-0.


The Assassins looked to hit straight back and a long run was stopped on the Titans 1 yard line by Cam Young. Back-to-back tackles by LB’s Josh Williams and Uday Suruzzaman pushed the Assassins back forcing a 4th and long situation turning the ball over.


A stop-start series resulted in a 4th down conversion from the Miles-Hlongwane connection, this time on the Assassins 1 yard line rounding off the first quarter action. With a fresh set of downs, Quinn pounded the ball into the end-zone, with the 2PAT converted through Miles and U17 grad Ben Neill.


RB Tyler “the face” Browne placed the following kick off well into Assassins territory for another former U17 Greg Morgan to force a tackle on the Leeds 1 yard line. With the Assassins pegged back, Robert Duck forced a safety to make the score 18-0.

 

The Titans received the free kick punt with Quinn taking the ball the house, except for some dirty laundry bringing the Titans offence back.  Both teams hit stumbling blocks finding things difficult to get their offences firing. The Titans found the end zone again through Quinn on a punt return, only for lightning to strike twice and a second TD was called back.

 

The Assassins struck shortly after and forced a safety of their own to take the score to 18-8 at half time.

Both teams came out the half trading blows, the Titans offence struck first through a series of rushes from RB Dante Harris, setting up field position for Miles to find the Hlongwane, with the Assassins retaliating instantly to take the score to 24-14


At a pivotal point in the game, the Titans took control preventing any further scoring from the Leeds outfit. Miles found Hlongwane for a further 6 points and Quinn converting the 2PAT. The Titans now ruthless defence held Leeds in deep field position to force a punt that would see Miles run the ball in to increase the lead, with the PAT being missed.


Into the final quarter, the defence stood firm with excellent pressure from the Defensive line of Robert Duck and Ben Kwasnik forcing a more aerial approach and 4 year Titans CB Lewis Parker duly intercepted the ball giving Titans possession in the midfield. With another 4 years player QB Charlie “The GOAT” Glover now on the field, the offence drove the ball for Harris punch the ball in to get on the scoreboard. A QB keep saw Glover convert the 2PAT.


With the game in the dying the embers, the Titans saw a third  special teams TD brought back. The final score of the day came from a dancing run from Browne, and a block by Martin Lewis that saw him earn the Titans ‘Hit of the Day’ award. The Titans ‘Catch of the Day’ went to Anele Hlongwane.

The game ended with the Titans (2-1) seeing out a 54-14 win against the Assassins (0-1). The Titans U19 now make their home debut next Sunday at 12:00 with the visit of the Lincolnshire Bombers at the National Speedway Stadium.