Double Header Double Victory puts Celtics into Plate
Leeds Celtics vs Leeds Met Carnegie & UH Sharks, Sunday 4/3/2012
Leeds Celtics 7-0 Leeds Met Carnegie
Leeds Celtics 7-0 UH Sharks
Due to bad weather and scheduling problems, the Leeds Celtics faced off against both the Leeds Met Carnegie, and UH Sharks in a double-header match that would decide their playoff chances and define their season. The mammoth task of winning both matches would see the team finish with six wins and two losses this season, making theNnational Plate playoffs and seeding third in the north of England. On the other hand, losses in both would see the team finish with a 4-4 win loss record, finishing 8th in the BUAFL Northern Conference. This therefore made it crucial that the Celtics won against both opposing teams who were themselves in the playoff hunt.
The first game on this miserable rainy afternoon was the Celtics Varsity fixture against Leeds Met Carnegie. Carnegie had had a mixed season to date, having recorded a 40 point win against the eventual Plate number 1 seeded team, the Sheffield Sabres a fortnight previously, but a 50 point loss to the Conference champions Sheffield Hallam Warriors last week and many were wondering which Carnegie team would show up. Carnegie knew that if they could beat the Celtics they would be in the playoffs, assuming that the strong Hull team beat the Celtics in the second match.
As the game kicked off the weather worsened, with freezing rain and spells of snow continuing for the entire match. The Celtics got the ball first and proved that despite Carnegie claiming to have the best defence in the country, the ball could be moved on them. The Celtics moved quickly up the pitch only for the weather to take its toll, and Celtics Quarterback Henry Wareham saw the ball slip out of his grip in the rain into the hands of a Carnegie defensive interception.
As the Carnegie offence took over, the Celtics defence looked fired up going onto the pitch. The Celtics Defence walked off the pitch one play later, as Carnegie’s Quarterback was set upon so fast by the Celtics defensive line, led by the influential Alexander Saunders, that he was unable to get the ball away before being stripped of it by Saunders. This allowed line-backer Josh Stevenson to recover the fumble.
The Celtics defence spent very little time on the pitch in the first half with the first three Carnegie plays seeing the Celtics D strip the ball and recover it. This allowed for an amazing field position for the offence. Ben Kadory missed a field goal, but made up for it on the Celtics next possession by running in a 9 yard touchdown, and converting the extra point, putting the Celtics 7-0 up.
The weather continued to deteriorate in the second half, causing the pitch to turn into a virtual swamp. This ended the passing game that is a big part of the Celtics offence, with weapons such as Adam Smith and Darren Mould at Receiver useful as little more than wide blockers for the second half. Strong running performances from all the Celtics running-backs allowed the Celtics to control the clock for the remainder of the match, with the Celtics Defence keeping the Carnegie offence easily at bay. This enabled the Celtics to run out as comfortable winners despite the close score-line.
So with one match and one victory out the way, and half way to the playoffs, the Celtics now looked to their next opposition the University of Hull Sharks. They had had another strong season after making the national Plate final last season, sitting second in the Northern Conference with six wins and only a single loss to conference leaders Sheffield Hallam. While most would view the prospect of playing a fresh team as a disadvantage, the Celtics knew that the Sharks would take a while to get used to the weather and pitch, as the Sharks are a team known throughout the league for having a strong passing game. However, the conditions on the day negated this.
Despite the conditions as the match started it became apparent that while the Sharks knew the weather was bad for passing, they would still line up every play with four receivers. This however was intended to stretch the Celtics defence, whom the Sharks had just watched shut down the Carnegie offence with strong play in the middle of the pitch. This tactic seemed early on to be working, with the Sharks running the ball from this formation, meaning one missed tackle, either at the line or further down the pitch, would lead to a big gain. Celtics veteran safety John Tickle had one of the best games of his Celtics career, not missing a tackle all match and covering from side-line to side-line shutting down any runs that beat the first level of defence.
When the Celtics offence got the ball, they kept running against a strong Sharks defence. As the rain eased up, however, Quarterback Wareham showed his talent by completing a number of difficult third down passes to keep the ball moving. Despite the team’s best efforts, the Sharks defence held them each time to just outside of field goal range.
As the match dragged on it was hard to see either team scoring, as both offences were struggling in the mud, and both defences seemed determined to prevent a score. The Celtics then lined up to punt the ball away on a fourth down, and as the ball was kicked downfield chase-man Charles Tinworth sprinted upfield to tackle the Hull returner. Despite his diminutive size, Tinworth hit the Hull returner with such force that it sent a crashing sound across the pitch, and knocked the ball free. It was at this point that Lewis Doel found himself in the perfect position to scoop up the loose ball and score a touchdown. 7-0 Celtics.
This seemed to kick-start the Hull offence into life, with only two minutes left in the game they needed to score to level the match and force extra time. A good kickoff left Hull with 70 yards to go to score and little time to do it. Running harder and faster than they had all game, Hull moved up the pitch, and with only 5 seconds left in the game found themselves 9 yards off the Celtics line. This was it, do-or-die time. A score, and the Celtics could see themselves fail to make the playoffs, but stopping Hull would mean post-season football. The ball was snapped; the quarterback dropped back, five Hull receivers ran into the end-zone. Strong pressure from Saunders forced the quarterback to throw the ball early to avoid the imminent sack. Time seemed to slow down for the Celtics; watching the ball floating towards the other side of the pitch. Line-backer Josh Stevenson jumped at the ball, seemingly hanging in the air for an impossible amount of time, and knocked the ball to the ground with enthusiasm. Pass incomplete, the Celtics were in the playoffs.
Despite all the odds being stacked against them, playing two of the conferences better teams, on the same day, one after another, the Celtics had won. They finishing their regular season with 6 wins and two losses, qualifying for the National Plate Playoffs.
The game was sponsored by the Leeds Celtics sponsors for the 2011/12 season, Windows 7. 
