American Football BAFA Division One Central

 

By Twm Owen

 

Oxford Saints 42, South Wales Warriors 0

 

The South Wales Warriors look set for relegation after suffering their eighth and heaviest defeat of the season.

The Warriors, who at the beginning of the year opted to drop down from the Premiership, had travelled to Oxford looking for a first win of 2017 and to keep alive their hopes of at least matching the Solent Thrashers’ record of three victories.

But not only did Solent chalk up a fourth victory, defeating the Ouse Valley Eagles 24-14 in the early kick-off, but the Warriors suffered a drubbing at the hands of last year’s division two (south) champions.

The Saints escaped from Llanharan with a tight 6-13 victory in week two when Great Britain international running back James Walter proved the difference between the two sides.

But on Sunday, Walter ran in for three touchdowns, opening his account early with a scoring run on the game’s opening drive, while the Saints put up a total of 42 unanswered points.

Welshman Antonious Athanasiou, from Caerphilly, punished his countrymen when he punched through the Warriors goal line defense for his side’s second touchdown.

Walter added his second TD of the day before halftime, with Ryan Kingshott having also hit pay dirt, for the Saints to take a 28-0 half-time lead with all four TDs converted.

The Saints added a further two converted touchdowns in the second half, with Walter completing his hat-trick.

The Warriors now only have pride to play for and are certain to finish bottom of the division as even if they achieve victories in their final two games of the season, both at home, the Eagles, who have three wins, will still finish above them.

Unbeaten division leaders the Sussex Thunder are the Warriors’ next opponents and the basement side have almost a fortnight to lick their wounds before the Saturday, July 8 clash at Llanharan.