Week 1 Review: Titans beat Nighthawks, Titans Women Lose by 1 Point

The first weekend of the BAFA National Leagues powered by Union Jack Classic saw two of our teams travel for an away fixture - one team to Durham, another to… South Manchester?

Saturday - Manchester Titans Women vs Teesside Steelers

Starting our weekend on Saturday 18 April in Maiden Castle, Durham the Titans Women took the Steelers by surprise by scoring first. RB Emily Rodrigues #15 in her debut as a Titan got the first points on the board on the opening offensive drive which set the tone for the rest of the game. The Steelers’ speedy RB Gaby Derrick racked up most of the points for Teesside but it was close and competitive throughout with the Titans up by one point at the half. 

With mere moments left in the fourth quarter, QB Liz Majka #22 found WR Jess Dovey #30 in the endzone, making it 25-26. A daring attempt at a 2-pt conversion to take the lead unfortunately fell short of the mark. The atmosphere was electric and both teams congratulated each other on a solid performance, looking forward to the rematch at Belle Vue on 20 June.

We got Head Coach Scott Tomlinson’s thoughts after the game:

“Honestly the game was a spectacle. A massive shoutout to the two coordinators I have, George Foster (OC) and Stuart Robinson (DC). They adjusted well and kept us in it. We knew our expectations this season, the team banded together and we’re now already hitting those targets. Having 5 people debut for Titans is a huge achievement and shows that this team will only go from strength to strength not only this season but even further into the future. Looking forwards to the game against Solent [on 2 May] - every game will be competitive but if we continue to execute as we have been it’s going to make for a very entertaining game.”

Sunday - Manchester Titans vs Merseyside Nighthawks

Fast forward to Sunday 19 April, at what turned out to be more of a home game than expected, fans, friends, family, and a very loud cohort of Titans alumni crowded the fences at the Armitage Centre to cheer on their boys in royal blue. Knowing what the people had come to see, the Titans put 7 touchdowns on the Merseyside Nighthawks and still left the crowd wanting more.

We spoke to Head Coach George Foster after the game:

“Fairly happy with the game, it took us a little longer than we would have liked to get fully up to speed but that is to be expected for the first game of the season. Defensively we put on a good show and had answers to everything that Merseyside threw at us which was good to see. Offensively we grew as the game developed and started to really hit our standard in the second half. On specials we had a couple of big returns and blocked up our kicks well. So overall a strong performance but plenty for us to work on over the next couple of weeks as we prepare for Coventry.”

Speaking on the offensive performance, OC Alex Challands said “It was a good effort to get any pre-season rust out of the system ready for a hectic May. We showed strong throughout the game, and ran away with it whilst rotating in the second half, which is a testament to the effort put in throughout the depths of the squad so early on in the season.”

It was a great outing for new players on the squad with one touchdown for ex-Newcastle Viking WR Matt Wilson #81, and one for rookie RB Herminio Manga #80 in their Titans debuts. In the second half of the game back-up QB and ex-Chester Roman Alex Ross bagged himself his first two passing touchdowns in his debut as a Titan. Another Titans debutant Ben Komba got the first interception of the season and his first interception as a Titan. In the meantime, the rest of the Titans defence ground down the Merseyside offence, leaving the Nighthawks with negative yardage on the day. 

A solid 46-0 victory to start the 2026 season puts the Titans at 1-0 after Week 1. 

Both Titans teams play next at home on Saturday 2 May. Titans Women against the Solent Thrashers at 12pm and Manchester Titans against Coventry Phoenix at 3pm. Get your tickets today!

One Club, One Future

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Women’s Contact: 2026 Fixtures

Women’s Contact Fixtures

We’re excited to announce our Women’s Contact fixtures for 2026!

Our season starts with an away fixture against our Northern rivals, the Teesside Steelers. We then welcome the Solent Thrashers to Belle Vue on Saturday 2 May for a double serving of Titans football as our Adult Contact team take on Coventry Phoenix in the afternoon.

We play Birmingham away on 13 June and host Teesside at Belle Vue for the rematch on 20 June. In July we play the Warriors twice, at home on 4 July and away on 18 July.

The top teams will battle it out in the playoffs on 15 August, with the final taking place on 5 September.

We’d love to see you at one of our games this year. Your support means the world to us.

It’s also not too late to join the team. If you are 16+ you are eligible to play for our Women’s Contact team. Our experienced coaching staff will teach you everything you need to know!

Women’s Contact fixtures for 2026. Featured player: Katie Sykes (DB, #33)

Other Manchester Titans Fixtures

Want to get involved?

Titans Women Kick Off 2026

Titans Women Kick Off 2026 With Successful Rookie Session

On a sunny Saturday morning in Audenshaw last week, the Manchester Titans Women's Contact team came together for the first time in 2026. Whilst the pitch was more suited to an Ice Hockey squad, aptly demonstrated by DB Chloe, the Titans were determined to make the most of it. After a quick round of introductions for the key members of the coaching and management team, Titans new and old got down to the first warm-up of the season. 

Many of the movements seen in the opening part of the session had more place in a Monty Python sketch than on the field, but the warmup did the job, with many players starting to take off some of the many layers needed for this arctic expedition - except Bonner, who seemed to get more clothing on the further through the session we got. 

Fundamentals was the focus of the day, and not just because BAFA told us we have to. All of the players got chance to try different types of blocks, and the O-Line got the chance to show how difficult it is to demonstrate footwork after 4 months of mental reps in hibernation. The session was rounded off with some throwing and catching practice, with the sun causing some additional challenges for those on the wrong side of the field, though it was noted that the sun was blamed for several fumbles by players with their back to it too...

In all, the Titans got the chance to have a great session with a new coaching set up, meet new players, and catch up with old friends, and we're ready to get contracts signed and get into the 2026 season! 

There are two more open sessions for rookies to get involved with our Women’s Team before the season starts for real. One session today at Belle Vue Stadium at 2pm, and another on Tuesday 20 January at 8-10pm, also at Belle Vue Stadium. See you there!

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