By Twm Owen
Southampton is the first stop for the South Wales Warriors as they hit the road for a run of five away games while still searching for their first win of the season.
The Warriors have lost three successive home games and begin their away schedule at the Solent Thrashers who are also yet to win this season.
Though the Warriors haven’t won since taking the decision to step down from the Premiership, to the second tier, on Sunday the face the coach of the team they recorded their last win against.
That came in week five in June last year when they defeated the Farnham Knights. Thrashers head coach Steve Rains was in charge of the Knights for that narrow loss in Llanharan, after he’d guided his side to promotion in 2015, and though he departed the club at the end of the season he established them in the tough Premiership South Conference.
Under Rains the Thrashers have only played two games in the British American Football Association Division One Central campaign, both at their Test Park Sports Ground home. The lost their opener to the Sussex Thunder by 23 points to nil and on Sunday went down 27-19 to the Ouse Valley Eagles.
Both Ouse Valley and Sussex have beaten the Warriors already this season. The Eagles recorded a 14-12 victory at Llanharan in week one while division leaders the Thunder ran out 14-8 winners at the Dairy Field on Sunday.
Before the season head coach Geraint Roberts said home form would likely be a big factor in deciding games but as he prepares for his team’s final fixture before beginning their return schedule the Warriors chief knows his side have failed to make home advantage count.
Perhaps the most significant disadvantage facing away teams in the amateur sport is the travelling distances involved for away games. The Warriors face an extra challenge, due to an early start to arrive on the south coast for the 12 noon kick-off on Sunday.
As well as reminding his charges to set their alarm clocks Roberts will be demanding they report wide awake. The Warriors have failed to score in the first half of any of their opening three games and have only scored twice once. That was in their opener against the Eagles when the second touchdown was only scored as time expired.
In the last two games, against the Oxford Saints and the Thunder, the Warriors crossed for their only touchdowns in the final two minutes.
“We are just looking for a reaction and looking for a continuation of our second-half performance against the Thunder on Sunday so that can be a springboard for us for the rest of the season,” said Roberts, whose team managed a late offensive rally last Sunday.
The Warriors will need to beware of the Thrashers, who showed they can also strike late, scoring the last of their three touchdowns against the Eagles with just 15 seconds remaining.
Though the Thrashers scored touchdowns in the first, third and fourth quarters against the Eagles, they also gave up four touchdowns in the first three quarters. They were shutout in their opener, conceding two passing touchdowns and one rushing TD against the Thunder.
In contrast, the Warriors defense have been consistent in allowing their opponents just two touchdowns every game. Though the Warriors D have shown themselves vulnerable to big plays, and allowed both the Saints and Thunder to rush for big yardage, they have also held firm on several occasions in all three games while defending their goal line to keep their total points conceded to 41.
On offense, the Warriors have struggled to establish their running game, their traditional strength. Roberts says he feels his attack “just hasn’t clicked yet” but on Sunday he opted to play winter recruit Max Ayoul at quarterback having earlier said he would stick with Dean Jackson, who the Frenchman had replaced to lead the Warriors to their only score against the Saints.
The experienced Jackson called the plays from the sideline against the Thunder but was injured, after throwing an interception, when he replaced Ayoul at the start of the third quarter, in an unsuccessful attempt to kick-start the misfiring offense.