http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.comThe latest headlines and articles from the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders American Football Team.(c) 2010, Bedfordshire Blue Raiders. All rights reserved.5As the door closes on the 2010 season, the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders are already making plans for the 2011 season and we want YOU to be part of it. A series of 'Try American Football and the Blue Raiders' Sessions will begin on Sunday 26th September 2010 from 10:30am - 1:00pm at Bedford International Athletics Stadium. These sessions will be aimed at complete Rookies wanting to try American Football for the first time, and experienced players wanting to get to know the Blue Raiders and our coaching staff. You will need the clothing you would usually wear for sports such as Rugby or Soccer. It is essential that you have your own gumshield plus footwear with cleats or studs. We will supply Helmets and Pads as required. You will be under the supervision of our experienced and fully qualified coaching staff. If you are interested in attending, or have any further questions, please contact Head Coach Craig Ramsay: 07771595612 We hope to see you soon! The Blue Raiders are based at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford, MK41 9SB DIRECTIONS By Car: Bedford lies 50 miles north of London. To the west and east are two main north/south roads, the M1 and A1. Directions from the M1 Leave the M1 at Junction 13 and take the A421. Leave the A421 via the A6 sign-posted to Bedford. Continue straight ahead on the A6, over all the roundabouts, following the signs for the A418. Once on the A418 you will cross the River Ouse and should see the Pyramid shaped building on your right. At the next roundabout turn right into Barkers Lane & Bedford International Athletic Stadium is situated opposite the Fire station approximately a ¼ mile on the left. Directions from the A1 Leave the A1 at the junction south of St Neots & take the A421 & then A428 to Bedford. When you reach the roundabout with MFI on the right continue straight over onto the dual carriageway. Upon reaching the next roundabout there is a pub on the left named "The Orchard", turn left and continue to the next one. Tesco will be on your right. From this roundabout continue over the next 2 until you reach a 3rd and turn left into Barkers Lane & Bedford International Athletic Stadium is situated approximately a ½ mile on your right. Directions from Ampthill Road (A6): Follow the A6 over the railway bridge, when you reach the roundabout go straight ahead (3rd exit). You will then pass a small retail park (Halfords etc.) and you will arrive at another roundabout. Follow the road straight ahead (2nd exit) you will be on the A418 which runs parallel to the river. You will then come to another roundabout (the cinema is on your right) where you turn right (2nd exit) into Barkers Lane, Bedford International Athletic Stadium is opposite the fire station approximately a ¼ mile on the left.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=150Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMTSunday 8th August saw The Bedfordshire Blue Raiders play host to the Essex Spartans in a keenly contested BAFACL Division Two East matchup. Both teams were desperate to win to keep alive their respective chances of reaching the playoffs, the Blue Raiders also needing to ensure a healthy eighteen point margin of victory in order to leapfrog Essex in the standings, the legacy of the 23-6 Spartans victory over the Blue Raiders in Billericay earlier in the season. In order to have any hope of achieving such a resounding Blue Raider win the Blue and Gold offense would need to be firing on all cylinders. The early signs were not good. The first Blue Raiders offensive play saw quarterback Phil Cutts fumble the ball straight back to Essex. The ensuing Essex drive culminated in a failed 22 yard field goal attempt. On the first play of the very next drive Blue Raiders running back Josh Cerri (a former Blue Raiders youth player) speedily scampered for a huge 56 yard run, only being stopped from scoring by a last ditch Essex tackle at the Spartans own 24 yard line. Again, the Blue Raiders offense seemed primed to score only to undo this good work, the rest of the drive featured two fumbles (both recovered by the Blue Raiders) and two avoidable penalties (Illegal Motion against a pair of Blue Raiders wide receivers on the same play, and a False Start call against offensive lineman James Salfarlie). This left the Blue Raiders having to resort to trying to kick a 29 yard field goal, but Alan Shea’s kick was blocked. Shea, deputising today in kicking and punting duties for the injured Michael Cox, would be called into special teams action shortly afterwards as the next drives by both teams spluttered. The New Mexican’s punt being so well-placed and combined with top-notch punt coverage from Eric Cullipher that Essex had to start their next drive from their own 3 yard line. To underline Shea’s versatility, the first Essex play of this particular drive saw him make a thudding run-stuffing tackle, limiting Essex to a 1 yard gain. The very next play saw the first points of the game. Spartans quarterback James Dawson dropped back to pass by was sacked in his own endzone by Blue Raiders defensive tackle Michael Dilley for a two point safety. Dilley, a Bedford native who had never previously played American football until this season, would prove to be a stout obstacle all day for the Spartans. The force then appeared to be with the Blue Raiders. Productive running from the spritely Cullipher over several plays, a facemask penalty against the Spartans meant the Blue Raiders, then a bustling 7 yard carry by former Delaware State University Mike Wilson saw the Blue Raiders parked on the Spartans 1 yard line with three downs left…surely it would be a formality to advance the ball and score, right? Wrong. The wheels fell off the Blue Raiders offensive bandwagon again. A needless false start penalty against offensive lineman Mitch Allen, and then Cutts being sacked stymied things before Cullipher ran the ball back to the 1 yard line making for a massive fourth down play. However, Cullipher was stopped for a loss and Blue Raider tempers flared as Allen and fellow offensive lineman Martin Kent drew multiple penalty flags in the aftermath of the failed drive. Essex then did well to drive downfield with some productive gains via their own running game before a dropped pass forced a turnover on downs at the Blue Raiders 15 yard line. However, calamity was to strike with the very next play as Cutts had his underthrown pass intercepted by Essex defensive back Thomas Marston who ran the ball in for an Essex touchdown. The extra point was kicked, meaning Essex enjoyed a 7-2 lead at halftime. The start of the second half saw the Blue Raiders move the ball with some purpose, but this drive was stalled after a couple of incomplete Cutts passes and yet another false start penalty against a Blue Raider offensive lineman (this time Adam Clough). The end result was a failed field goal attempt – the botched snap being dived on by Cutts and Shea to spare further embarrassment. Three non-descript drives (two for the Blue Raiders, one for the Spartans) would follow, before the Blue Raiders defense shook things up, Walter Bates recovering a Dawson fumble. Cerri would then run 22 yards on two plays, the second being a 14 yard touchdown run featuring some changes of direction that would not have looked out of place on an X-Box. The attempted two point try failed meaning the Blue Raiders held a slender 8-7 lead. The Blue Raider feel good factor did not last very long at all however. The first play after kickoff Spartans running back Steven Hull ran 47 yards for a touchdown, but only after Clint Harper had missed a tackle in the Spartans backfield and his fellow Blue Raiders defensive back Darren Richens was comfortably blocked. The Essex extra point kick was blocked by Blue Raider linebacker Gareth “Tish” Pullen. The score stood at 13-8 in favour of Essex. The third quarter ended shortly afterwards. The fourth quarter saw the Blue Raiders getting more and more nervous as both teams had failed drives, until on the back of consistent running from Wilson and Cerri brought the Blue Raiders to the Essex 13 yard line at the two-minute warning. Shea was now playing at quarterback, substituting for a spent Cutts. A 1 yard Cerri gain was then followed by a bulldozing 11 yard run from Shea for a first down…the Blue Raiders were now 1 yard from the endzone! The very next play was a classic quarterback sneak from Shea. The native of Hagerman, New Mexico had scored his first ever touchdown in the UK, giving the Blue Raiders a point lead. The two point try was good, a rumbling run from Wilson, meaning the Blue Raiders were back on top 16-13, with less than a minute left! In the great game of American football a minute is more than enough time to score, so the scene was set for a very tense dénouement of the game. Immediately Shea’s kickoff was poorly covered by the tired-looking Blue Raiders, Dan Field making a lung-bursting run to catch the Essex returner as the last man on the Blue Raiders own 36 yard line. Essex now had four downs to score. Everyone knew they would try to pass on every remaining play. Hearts were in mouths and collective breath was held…First down – Dawson drops back to pass…incomplete. Second down – Dawson drops back to pass…the ball is on target to a Spartans wide receiver, but the covering Richens bats it away. Third down – Dawson drops back to pass…incomplete. Fourth down and the game – Dawson drops back to pass…the ball is on target to a Spartans wide receiver at full sprint, this is it, surely? No! Richens makes a last-ditch stretch…and, just, bats the ball away. BLUE RAIDERS WIN! Sober reflection after the game will leave all connected with the Blue Raiders thinking on missed opportunities, not only today (they could have scored more points with better application) but back to the away defeats at Essex and Norwich which means the season ends after next weeks home game versus the Maidstone Pumas. It has been quite a ride.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=149Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMTSunday 2nd August 2010 saw the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders travel to Norfolk to play BAFA Division 2 East rivals The Norwich Devils. The Blue Raiders knew that a loss at this stage of the regular season would almost certainly consign their playoff dream to the dustbin, however hopes were high as the Three Counties number one American football team had handily beaten the Devils 20-6 in Bedford earlier in the season. The games kicked off under portentous skies…All day the Norfolk firmament was overcast, dark clouds swirling and always threatening to bring thunder and lightning upon Norwich heads but never quite materialising. The same phenomenon was seen on the gridiron as the Blue Raiders offense spluttered all day whenever it got within touching distance of the endzone, failing to score, squandering a proud afternoon of effort from the Blue Raiders defense. The first quarter was scoreless. Between a regular exchange of punts Norwich racked up a slew of sloppy penalties whilst Blue Raiders quarterback Phil “The Graduate” Cutts threw a deflected interception and Blue Raiders wide receiver John Mathewson missing a 35 yard field goal attempt (kicking for points was the only black mark against Mathewson’s performance in this game, the former University of Loughborough player doing much to enhance his reputation – this first quarter alone featured a couple of receptions including a pleasing 21 yard grab from Cutts). The second quarter saw the Blue Raiders turning the screw. Only the second play in, Blue Raiders safety Alan Shea almost intercepted a Norwich pass (this would have been Texan Shea’s first interception in the UK). A poor three play sequence saw veteran guard Will Walsh get penalized twice in succession then Cutts sacked, meaning a total loss of 24 yards on just those three plays. Even a 19 yard pass from Cutts to Mathewson immediately afterwards did not dig the Blue Raiders out of that hole, forcing a punt. However a finely judged Mathewson punt, coupled with great punt coverage from the Blue Raiders (Eric “Road Runner” Cullipher doing sterling work on special teams) meant Norwich were pinned back on their own 10 yard line. Things got worse for the Devils as their first play of this ill-starred drive saw them suffer a 2 yard loss as Andi Peat and John Murphy combined to stop a Norwich running back in his tracks. Their tails up, the Blue Raiders defense swarmed all over Devils quarterback, defensive tackle Dan Field making the sack, forcing a fumble then recovering the fumble himself in the Norwich endzone for the defensive touchdown. Even by the memorable standards of his rookie season this was a moment to enjoy for Field (a product of the Blue Raiders youth section). Though the extra point kick from Mathewson was pulled wide, leaving the score at 6-0 to the Blue Raiders, it seemed that the Blue Raiders were in full control, a fact reinforced when on the ensuing Norwich kickoff return Clint Harper delivered a bone-jarring tackle on the Devils return man. Both of the next two Norwich drives were ended by Blue Raiders defensive back Darren Richens, firstly by a pass deflection forcing a turnover on downs then secondly by an interception on the play immediately following the two minute warning. The Richens pick (the first of the Bedford-based rookie’s career) and his 7 yard interception return meant the Blue Raiders started the subsequent drive again from the Norwich 10 yard line. The Devils looked in real trouble, surely a formality for the Blue Raiders offense to get the ball into the endzone with four plays and almost 2 minutes? No! Andi Peat fumbling on the very next play whilst playing at fullback…and Norwich recovering. The Devils then poured even more cold water on to the crestfallen Blue Raiders with successive completions of 22 yards and 17 yards. This Norwich drive would peter out, but the first half fire was extinguished – indeed the Devils finished the second quarter on a high sacking Cutts on the last play for a 7 yard loss. The second half saw the Blue Raiders offense come out with fresh determination, running back Rico Alonso leading the charge and Cutts passing to tight end Chris “Brucie” Russell (the first ever reception for the former Nottingham Trent University player in his Blue Raider career). An offside call against James Salfarlie and a Cutts incomplete pass intended for Mathewson stalled this promising drive though. The Blue Raiders would not look anywhere near as assured for the rest of the game on offense… The remainder of the third quarter fell into the pattern of a regular exchange of punts interspersed by the Blue Raiders offense misfiring and the Devils offense being stopped by the Blue Raider defense - An awful lot seemed to be being loaded on to the shoulders of the Blue Raiders defense. Cracks started to appear in the fourth quarter. The first play was a 30 yard pass by the Devils. Two plays later Norwich had a first down on the Blue Raiders 8 yard line. For 3 plays Norwich tried to run the ball in. For 3 plays the Blue Raiders defense brilliantly swarmed and gang-tackled the ball-carrier. The fourth down was where this game was won with the Devils speedily scampering into the endzone from 3 yards out skipping around tired Blue Raiders. The extra point was made, meaning that Norwich, looking down and out earlier, were now in the lead! The following Blue Raiders drive was stillborn, being turned over on fourth down following an incomplete Cutts pass meant for Ben White. Following the next stalled Devils drive, Shea was installed at quarterback, but his very first pass aimed at White was intercepted with the Blue Raiders looking increasingly ragged and tired. Norwich took full advantage gradually working their way up the field, scoring with an 8 yard run with less than 2 minutes left on the clock. The extra point was made, meaning the score was 14-6 to the Devils. In the dying seconds Shea managed to connect with Mathewson for a 15 yard gain, but the very next play Shea threw a second interception – this was to be the final action of the game. The Blue Raiders now find themselves needing to win their next fixtures against the Essex Spartans to keep their fast-fading playoff dreams mathematically possible. http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=148Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMTType "NFL & win ugly" into Google and you get 5,700 results less than half a second, but, travel with the Blue Raiders to a ferociously windy RAF Cranwell to play the Lincolnshire Bombers and you get 1 result in 216,000 seconds. Sunday was never about pretty, it was never about margin of victory it was all about the W. The Blue Raider roster shows 50 registered players, on Sunday due to illness, injury and other vagaries half this number were kitted up on the sideline and they were led into battle by #13 QB Phil Cutts starting for the first time in his career. The early exchanges were reflective of this lack of experience and familiarity between players as Cutts took his time to find his feet. However, the defence immediately dominated the Bombers and gave notice that they were here to play and support their young offence. It also became clear early on that the gusting wind would hamper both sides as passes and punts were re-directed by the elements with one Bomber punt apparently traveling further upwards than forwards. None of this phased the Blue Raiders and they kept pounding away until late in the second second quarter, with Cutts dropping back to pass at the Bomber 13 yard line #80 Martyn Foster made a break to end zone before beating two Bomber defenders to the ball for the day's opening score. The wind precluded any attempt to kick the conversion and the Bomber defence stiffened to stop the two point try. The half finished with the Blue Raiders leading 6-0. Following 'motivational' speeches from coaches and senior players the Blue Raider defence flew out of the blocks in the third quarter even harder and by the time the quarter was done #50 Gareth Pullen had collected his third fumble recovery of the day. The battle of field position was clearly being won by the Blue Raiders and so was the game as the fourth quarter started with #27 Josh Cerri powering into the end zone from five yards out with such force he managed to injure himself in the process. Tough days like these are when experience counts and the fourth quarter was dominated on the ground by veteran running back #44 Mike Wilson who iced the cake for the Blue Raiders with a 22 yard jaunt for the final score of the day. There was still time for the defence to underline their fine performance as #96 Dan Field collected a pair of fumble recoveries and #25 Clinton Harper delivered the tackle of the day to dislodge the ball from a Bomber receiver in the end zone to preserve the shut out. On the face of it an 18-0 victory over the winless Bombers may be a bit of a disappointment, however, to quote legendary Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka "It was an ugly ball game, but you've got to win ugly sometimes" The Blue Raiders now enter the most important stretch of the season with their final four games over the next six weeks, starting on Sunday at home to the much storied London Olympians winners of multiple British and European trophies. http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=147Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMTBedfordshire Blue Raiders returned to BAFACL Division 2 action on Sunday 13th June at Bedford International Athletic Stadium when they entertained the winless Lincolnshire Bombers. As has been their habit recently the Blue Raiders offence started the game slowly whilst their defensive colleagues were far quicker out of the blocks, this resulted in the first series from both sides ending in punts. This battle of field position continued until late in the first quarter when the Bombers QB under pressure from Dan Field and Tish Pullen threw an errant pass which was intercepted by cornerback Michael Cox deep in Bomber territory. The opportunity was not turned downed by the offence as the ground game smoothly moved to the one yard line from where Josh Cerri sped into the endzone untouched for the opening score, moments later Cerri repeated the trick for a two-point conversion and an 8-0 Blue Raider lead. With the pattern now established the Blue Raiders moved up a notch in the second quarter behind the running of Cerri, Eric Cullipher and Enrique Alonso. The multi-faceted backfield recorded the next score as Cullipher easily ran around the Bomber defence from seven yards out and despite failing on the two point conversion the Blue Raider lead now stood at 14-0. There was still time before the half for the Blue Raider special teams to get on the score sheet as Cox drove a 33 yard field goal through the posts for a 17-0 lead at half-time. It should also be noted that the dying seconds of the quarter saw a play on which Lincolnshire attempted a long 52 yard FG that fell just short, but more importantly for the Blue Raiders saw the return from injury of their 2009 defensive MVP John Murphy who announced himself with a pair of immense blocks as players scrambled for the loose ball. The third and fourth quarters became even more torrid for the Bombers as the Blue Raider defence harried both starter and replacement QBs resulting in fumbles recovered by Walter Bates and Jim Plagmann. The third quarter was further lit up by Blue Raider QB Alan Shea turning on the after burners with two touchdown passes; a 9 yarder to Pete Coppenhall and a 55 yard bomb to debutant John Mathewson with Mathewson padding his score with a short reception for the two-point conversion and a 31-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Blue Raider defence had clearly decided that they were not going to give up their shut out and tackled with continued ferocity in the final quarter, and at no time did the Bombers look like scoring, unlike the Blue Raider offence who extended their lead further with Alonso jogging in from 4 yards and Andi Peat bulldozing in for the two point conversion and a final score of 39-0. The only blemish on the day was an injury to Blue Raider Clinton Harper which required lengthy medical treatment in the final moments of the game during which time the officials made the sensible decision to call time early. The two sides meet again in Lincoln on 4th July with the Blue Raiders' American contingent promising to make their own fireworks on Independence Day. http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=146Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMTBedfordshire Blue Raiders' first home fixture of the 2010 BAFACL Division Two season took place at Bedford International Athletic Stadium on Sunday 16th May when they entertained the Devils of Norwich. Blue Raiders' #27 Josh Cerri set the tone for the afternoon by taking the opening kick off 50+ yards deep inside Devil territory and whilst the ground game couldn't punch the ball in for a TD they did set up a short FG for #17 Michael Cox who didn't disappoint. A quick Devils "three and out" was followed by a Cox punt which was fielded deep by the Devils, any hope of a return was snuffed out as #32 Eric Cullipher nailed the return man on his own 3 yard line. Devils next play only served to extend the Blue Raider lead as an attempted toss and sweep was muffed by the runner who downed himself in the end zone for Blue Raiders' second safety in as many matches. The remainder of the quarter was dominated by defence as neither offence could gain much momentum. The second quarter started with the Blue Raiders moving the ball on the back of some fine running by Cerri and #30 Andi Peat, however they could not convert possession into points. During this period the Blue Raider defence continued to harry the Devils leading to #52 Darren Gregory's first interception of the day, unfortunately this could not be capitalized upon as the Blue Raiders returned the turnover favour on the next drive. Shortly after, another turnover was generated as #50 Gareth "Tish" Pullen stripped the ball from a Devils runner and #4 Jim Plagmann was on hand to recover, at this point the Blue Raiders inserted back up QB #13 Phil Cutts for this first action of the season. A couple of incompletions led to a Blue Raider punt and the most talked about play of the day. The punt was downed by the Blue Raiders deep in Devils territory, however, no whistle was blown and the Devils return man to his credit picked up the ball and sprinted untouched the length of the field to give the Devils their only lead of the day. A somewhat agitated Blue Raider team came out for their next possession determined to make amends, running backs Cerri and #44 Mike Wilson pounded their way down the field. With time fast running out Cutts was flushed from the pocket, his intended target Wilson could not gather in the ball, nor could the Devils DB who merely helped it on its way to #88 Pete Coppenhall who grabbed the ball inches from the ground for a spectacular TD and 11-6 Blue Raider half-time lead. The second half started with the impassioned words of Coach Ramsay ringing in their ears. A quick Devils possession saw the Blue Raiders offence return to the field this time under the leadership of new QB #11 Alan Shea making his debut for the team. The Blue Raiders should have extended their lead when Peat powered in for a TD, but it was called back due to some nefarious activities by the O-line and instead they had to settle for another Cox FG and a 14-6 advantage heading into the final quarter. The fourth quarter was one of total Blue Raider domination. Shea threw his first TD pass to #80 Martyn Foster and showed his tremendous ability both in throwing the ball and rushing by design and from broken plays. But the real stars of the fourth quarter were the Blue Raider "D" lead by Gregory with his second and third interceptions of the day and #49 Carl Gibbens who grabbed his own pick as they ensured that they kept the second defensive shut out of the season and signaled to rest of Division Two that they are again heading towards the lofty standards they set themselves. The Blue Raiders now have a couple of weeks to firmly bed in their new QB and I am certain that as they do so the Offence will very quickly become an equally dominant force as the Essex Spartans will discover on May 30th in Billericay. http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=145Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMTSunday's Bedfordshire Blue Raiders trip to Crystal Palace National Sports Stadium to take on London Olympians was completely overshadowed by an horrific multiple ankle fracture suffered by stand out defensive lineman Liam Smith. The game was only a couple of plays beyond half time when Smith was injured tackling an Olympians runner. The subsequent 40 minute delay whilst he received treatment understandably took a heavier toll on the already injury depleted Blue Raider squad than the much larger home team. Prior to the injury the first half had been an intriguing battle between what are regarded as two of the top BAFA Division Two sides. The first quarter was edged by the Blue Raiders thanks to an interception by DB Michael Cox deep in Blue Raider territory. The subsequent march down the field on the back of Running Backs Josh Cerri and Enrique Alonso led to QB Luke Smith floating a short 4 yard pass to Tight End Walter Bates who was all alone in the end zone, unfortunately the point after attempt was blocked and the Blue Raider lead was kept to 6-0 The second quarter continued the trend of the first although it could be said that the Olympians did get "the rub of the green" during this period. One sustained drive resulted in a QB scramble of 7 yards for their first score whilst a timely turnover and 24 yard rush by the Olympians running back meant they had edged out to a 13-6 lead at the half. The third quarter soon developed into a real battle with both sides aware the next score would be vital, unfortunately for Bedfordshire this score came in the form of a 21 yard TD reception by the Olympians, however, a great surge by the Blue Raider special teams unit blocked the point after and held the lead to 19-6 Visibly tiring as they entered the fourth quarter Blue Raider linebacker Jim Plagmann gave the team a huge lift as he was the first to react to a Olympian fumbled snap inside Olympian territory. It was not to be as both teams jogged off for the change of possession the officials argued amongst themselves and overturned their original ruling of Blue Raider ball. This proved to be the final let down for the Blue Raiders and on an afternoon that at best can be described as "trying" they conceded two further TDs to leave the final score a somewhat flattering 32-6 victory for the Olympians. Whilst there is no doubt the Olympians proved to be stronger, when the raw emotion of the day has dulled a little the Blue Raiders will be able to look back and build on these foundations as they travel to Maidstone next Sunday to take on the Pumas. Naturally the teams thoughts and prayers are today with Liam Smith and his family as he starts to long road back to his rightful place in the Blue Raider defence.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=144Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe Bedfordshire Blue Raiders returned to American Football action last weekend with a pre-season 'friendly' against local rivals Milton Keynes Pathfinders. On a cold and blustery afternoon two new look squads took the field in preparation for the upcoming season, the Blue Raiders in particular fielding several rookies, some new signings and some familiar faces in unfamiliar positions. It would not be long before the fans that had made the journey would get to see one of the new signings in the form of QB Luke Smith (#7), formerly of Coventry Jets, as the Blue Raiders won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. As with any sport, teams need time to gel and this is particularly true of such a complex sport, both teams offenses struggled on their opening drives as defenses held sway and punts were the order of the day. It was from one Pathfinders punt that the Blue Raiders looked to break the deadlock, a deep punt by Michael Cox (#17) was muffed by the return man and Clinton Harper (#21) dived on the ball to give possession to the Blue Raiders on the 12 yard line, unfortunately the Blue Raiders were unable to reach the end zone so on fourth down Cox came back on to attempt the FG, a superb surge by the Pathfinders resulted in a hand reaching up and blocking the ball to preserve the status-quo. The defenses continued to dominate as the game moved into the second quarter, former Blue Raider running-back, turned Pathfinder QB, Mike Keogh (#2) was being hounded and harried by a Blue Raider defensive line led by ex-Coventry Jet Liam Smith (#92) who recorded numerous sacks, pressures and hurries. One hurry forced the first Pathfinder turnover as Keogh's pass was off target and intercepted by Darren Gregory (#1) at the Pathfinder 20 yard line, not long after, Luke Smith lofted a pass to the far corner of the end-zone where Martyn Forster (#80) made a superb catch for the opening score of the year, Cox followed up with the PAT for a 7-0 lead. The Blue Raiders held their lead to the half in no small part due to Carl Gibbins (#49) picking off Keogh for his first interception of the season. The third quarter was a feast of defensive plays on both sides of the ball, Keogh was picked off by Matthew "Hitman" Johnson (#23) and once again by Gibbins, the first of these was deep in Pathfinder territory and again led to a Cox FG attempt, unfortunately the hold was compromised by the muddy surface and the kick was missed. Towards the end of the half Pathfinders Ross Neale intercepted Luke Smith, but as he was returning the ball Luke took a leaf out of brother (Defensive End) Liam's book and levelled Neale with a hit that brought cheers and winces from the sideline in equal measure. As the game entered the fourth quarter the Blue Raider offense finally began to click behind the running of Kev Kong (#18), Andy Peat (#32) and Enrique Alonso (#40) along with the arm of Smith. Kong first to extend the lead with a slashing run ending in a spectacular dive into the corner of the end-zone, once again Cox added the PAT and Luke Smith iced his debut for the Blue Raiders with his first Blue Raider TD a QB sneak from the one yard line, again poor footing disrupted the kick leaving the final score Milton Keynes Pathfinders 0 Bedfordshire Blue Raiders 20. Both teams will be able to learn from the game, Pathfinders look a far stronger team this year with the addition of some ex-Blue Raider and Northampton Hot Rod players, whilst the Blue Raiders will be pleased to get the first game out of the way in what they are hoping will become an historic season as they look to push on from last year's first play-off appearance.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=143Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMTThe Bedfordshire Blue Raiders are looking for 5 youth coaches to coach both our Youth and Academy teams. Both teams have a solid base of players ready to play and we will be aiming to start playing flag games in 2010 with a view to moving into youth kitted within a few years. Our Bedford based side have a Head Coach in place, but, we are looking for 2 assistants to join him and our Dunstable based Academy require a Head Coach and 2 assistants. If you are interested in any of the positions, please contact General Manager, Tony Law, or, you can also contact our youth staff directly. Head Coach, Ian Papworth: tina_ian@tiscali.co.uk Youth Development Manager, Julian Fuller: verbaluzi@hotmail.com Our youth teams practice at Bedford International Athletics Stadium on Sundays Starting at 13:00 and finishing at 15:30. If you are interested in joining the Blue Raiders please contact Head Coach, Ian Papworth: tina_ian@tiscali.co.ukhttp://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=142Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Blue Raiders are pleased to announce that Kelly Group, one of the UK's leading telecommunications and cable contractors, will be the new jersey sponsors throughout the 2010/2011 campaigns. This is the largest deal in the clubs history and represents a great commitment by Kelly Group. Marcus Bull of Kelly group said: “The Kelly Group are delighted to sponsor the Blue Raiders in the coming BAFL season. They have shown us with their dynamic approach to the game and pre-season preparation they will be a force to be reckoned with. This coupled with their new brand, we are sure 2010 will be a great year and we look forward to being onboard.” Tony Law, Blue Raiders General Manager added: “As we move into what promises to be a successful 2010 campaign, to have a company like Kelly Group behind us gives us a huge lift. Kelly Group and the Blue Raiders share the same ethos of excellence. We are pleased to welcome Kelly Group to the Blue Raider family” The Blue Raiders are already hard at work preparing for the 2010 campaign. Rookie sessions start on November 8th thru to 13th December at Bedford International Athletics Stadium. So if you would like to try American Football for the first time, or you are an established player looking for a new team come down and join in.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=141Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTEven though the 2009 season has only just finished, the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders are already making plans for the 2010 season and we want YOU to be part of it. A series of 'Try American Football and the Blue Raiders' Sessions will begin on Sunday 8th November 2009 and continue through to Sunday 13th December. These sessions will be aimed at complete Rookies wanting to try American Football for the first time, and experienced players wanting to get to know the Blue Raiders and our coaching staff. They will be held at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium, Bedford (directions below) and start at 11.00 Please arrive before this to assist with registration. Sessions should finish at approximately 14.00 You will need the clothing you would usually wear for sports such as Rugby or Soccer. It is essential that you have your own gumshield plus footwear with cleats or studs. We will supply Helmets and Pads as required. You will be under the supervision of our experienced and fully qualified coaching staff. If you are interested in attending, or have any further questions, please contact Head Coach Craig Ramsay: 07771595612 We hope to see you soon! The Blue Raiders are based at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford, MK41 9SB DIRECTIONS By Car: Bedford lies 50 miles north of London. To the west and east are two main north/south roads, the M1 and A1. Directions from the M1 Leave the M1 at Junction 13 and take the A421. Leave the A421 via the A6 sign-posted to Bedford. Continue straight ahead on the A6, over all the roundabouts, following the signs for the A418. Once on the A418 you will cross the River Ouse and should see the Pyramid shaped building on your right. At the next roundabout turn right into Barkers Lane & Bedford International Athletic Stadium is situated opposite the Fire station approximately a ¼ mile on the left. Directions from the A1 Leave the A1 at the junction south of St Neots & take the A421 & then A428 to Bedford. When you reach the roundabout with MFI on the right continue straight over onto the dual carriageway. Upon reaching the next roundabout there is a pub on the left named "The Orchard", turn left and continue to the next one. Tesco will be on your right. From this roundabout continue over the next 2 until you reach a 3rd and turn left into Barkers Lane & Bedford International Athletic Stadium is situated approximately a ½ mile on your right. Directions from Ampthill Road (A6): Follow the A6 over the railway bridge, when you reach the roundabout go straight ahead (3rd exit). You will then pass a small retail park (Halfords etc.) and you will arrive at another roundabout. Follow the road straight ahead (2nd exit) you will be on the A418 which runs parallel to the river. You will then come to another roundabout (the cinema is on your right) where you turn right (2nd exit) into Barkers Lane, Bedford International Athletic Stadium is opposite the fire station approximately a ¼ mile on the left.http://www.bedfordshireblueraiders.com/news.aspx?ArticleID=140Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT