Ouse Valley Football

McMaster on Sandwell

Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football BAFANL, Neale McMaster, Sandwell Steelers

Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster believes Sandwell’s ability to make adjustments was the deciding factor during Sunday’s opening day defeat.

The Eagles went down 24-6 at last season’s Division Two champions, and speaking afterwards McMaster said:

We always knew Sandwell were going to pose certain challenges with what they do on defense.

I thought we matched them physically, but they won the mental battle and ultimately that cost us. Their staff adjusted better.

We’ve still got nine games left, and I fully expect well be able to turn things around quickly, starting this weekend at Doncaster.

The Eagles return to BAFANL action this Sunday, away to Doncaster Mustangs. Kick off at the Keepmoat Stadium is 2.30pm.

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Hill: Plenty of positives to take from Sandwell

13 Apr

Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football BAFANL, Darren Hill, Sandwell Steelers

Interim Head Coach Darren Hill was keen to focus on the positives following the opening day defeat against the Sandwell Steelers.

The Eagles went down 24-6 at last season’s Division Two champions on Sunday, and speaking afterwards Hill said:

The first game of the season is always an anxious time for a coach, particularly this year as we enter a new division and face a number of teams we haven’t played before.

Whilst the result wasn’t what we hoped for there are a huge amount of positives to take from the game.

Due to a number of unforeseen circumstances we took a fairly new and inexperienced squad with us to Sandwell. All the players will have benefited enormously from the game time and we made some crucial plays in all three phases of the game. Overall I’m pleased with where we are as a team.

Sandwell are a well coached, well organised team and I wish them well for the rest of the season.

The Eagles are back in action this weekend away to Doncaster Mustangs, and Coach Hill is looking forward to seeing a positive reaction from his players:

Traditionally we have always started the season slowly and then built momentum as the season progresses and with some key players returning to action this week we are looking forward to face another new challenge as we travel to Doncaster.

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Eagles off to losing start against Steelers

13 Apr

Michael Dilley All News, Reports, Senior Football BAFANL, Eagles, Sandwell Steelers, Tom Childs

The 2016 season got off to a disappointing start for the Eagles thanks to a 24-6 defeat away to Sandwell Steelers on Sunday (10th April).

The Eagles started the game brightly. After returning the opening kick off to the 39-yard line the offense marched towards the red zone, and took the lead after QB Mikey Davies connected with Tom Childs from the 24-yard line.

Sandwell responded strongly though. An impressive kick return gave the Steelers a relatively short field, and they struck quickly with a deep pass to level the scores at 6-6.

The two sides traded possession for the rest of the first quarter but it was the hosts who edged ahead early in the second period, and the lead was extended before the end of the half after the Sandwell offense capitalised on a turnover following an interception.

HALF-TIME: Steelers 18 Eagles 6

The second half couldn’t have started better for the Eagles after recovering a Sandwell fumble on the kick-off inside the 20-yard line, but the Steelers D again forced a turnover on third down with another interception.

Neither side were able to add to the score before the end of the third quarter, with time expiring as Sandwell were driving, and they hit the decisive blow at the start of the fourth.

The rest of the game followed the now-familiar pattern as both offenses exchanged three and outs and short drives, with Sandwell never looking in danger of allowing their lead to be threatened.

FINAL: Steelers 24 Eagles 6

The Eagles return to BAFANL action this Sunday, away to Doncaster Mustangs. Kick off at the Keepmoat Stadium is 2.30pm.

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Preview | Sandwell Steelers (A)

06 Apr

Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football BAFANL, MFC1, Preview, Sandwell Steelers, Tipton Sports Academy

The 2016 BAFANL Midlands Football Conference kicks off this weekend and sees the Eagles open the season away to the Sandwell Steelers.

The Steelers went unbeaten on their way to the Division 2 title in 2015 which included play-off victories over Leicester Falcons, Newcastle Vikings and Peterborough Saxons, and head into 2016 with momentum well and truly on their side.

The Eagles come into the new season looking to build on a successful season of their own having gone 7-3 in the competitive SFC North 1 last season, and only missed out on a place in the Division 1 final following an overtime defeat to the Solent Thrashers.

Team News

Eagles QB Zach Wodaege is recovering from a dislocated knee picked up during the pre-season scrimmage with Kent Exiles, and is unlikely to be ready in time for this weekend, but should be available from next week.

Offensive Lineman James Busby sustained a second broken ankle on the same leg as last season and will miss out, while Defensive Back Vasco Dias continues his recuperation from serious knee injury , and is also likely to miss out.

Rookie Running Back Raul Fernandez will be a game-time decision with an oblique strain, and Linebacker Byron Chowles returns to the squad for the first time since breaking his leg in last season’s opening day win over the Cambridgeshire Cats.

Directions

The Steelers home stadium and training base is Tipton Sports Academy, Wednesbury Oak Road, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 0BS.

Game Coverage

If you can’t make it to Tipton Sports Academy for the game, we will be providing regular in-game updates on all the action via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

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Focus On | Birmingham Bulls

28 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Features, Senior Football BAFANL, Birmingham Bulls

In the fifth and final part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents we concentrate on the Birmingham Bulls…

The Birmingham Bulls were founded in 1983 and played their first competitive games a year later.

They won their first Conference in 1985 after going 12-0 in the AFL Midlands Division, and in 1986 won their first of four National Championships (1988, 1991, 1995).

The Bulls have made the play-offs 21 out of 31 times in their history – although only once since 2006 – and have been BritBowl runners up five times (1989, 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2000).

Last season they went 4-6 in Southern Football Conference 1 which included two defeats against the Eagles.

2015 Schedule

Sun 26th April vs Ouse Valley Eagles LOST 21-14
Sun 3rd May @ Cambridgeshire Cats WON 34-12
Sun 10th May vs Hertfordshire Cheetahs WON 17-9
Sun 17th May @ Farnham Knights WON 28-26
Sun 31st May vs Colchester Gladiators LOST 9-7
Sun 14th June vs Solent Thrashers LOST 10-7
Sun 28th June @ East Kent Mavericks LOST 14-0
Sun 19th July @ Hertfordshire Cheetahs LOST 28-8
Sun 26th July @ Ouse Valley Eagles LOST 23-18
Sun August 9th vs Cambridgeshire Cats WON 50-0

Contact Details

Club Colours

The Bulls club colours are black, white and red. They wear white helmets with black face cages, black jerseys and white pants.

Dates for the Diary

Sunday 5th June, Birmingham Bulls @ Ouse Valley Eagles
Sunday 31st July, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Birmingham Bulls

Home Ground & How to Get There

The Bulls play their home games at Erin Go Bragh, Holly Lane, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9LH.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android:

Focus On | Peterborough Saxons

28 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Features, Senior Football BAFANL, Peterborough Saxons

In the fourth part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents we concentrate on the Peterborough Saxons…

Originally founded as the East Midlands Saxons in 2001 as a way to allow a youth team to continue playing , the team played their first games in Boston, Lincolnshire in the Division 2 North of the BAFL in 2002.

They moved to Spalding in 2003 to expand their catchment area, and picked up their first win on the opening day of the season against the Manchester Titans and eventually finished the campaign with a record of three wins, six defeats and a tie.

After going 0-9 in 2004 the team moved to Peterborough in 2005 and joined the realigned Division Two East but were unable to improve on their best record of three wins until the 2007 season, where seven wins were enough for a first visit to the play-offs which ended in a 14-8 defeat against the Dundee Hurricanes.

The club were renamed the Peterborough Saxons in 2008, and ended in another visit to the play-offs following a successful season which included wins over the Milton Keynes Pathfinders and Bedfordshire Blue Raiders.

They were promoted to Division 1 ahead of the 2009 campaign but found the jump in competition difficult to adjust to, and after losing a number of players, coaches and back office staff withdrew from the league early in the 2011 campaign.

A new committee and coaching staff were formed before the team returned to competition in 2012, and after going unbeaten through the regular season and play-offs lost a thrilling BritBowl final in overtime to the Sheffield Predators.

The Saxons were promoted to the Premiership South for 2013 and posted a record of 2-8 thanks to victories over South Wales Warriors and Ipswich Cardinals.

Head Coach Will White left to join the newly-formed Eagles ahead of 2014 and was replaced by Gary Van Zandt. The Saxons would go 6-4 in the National Division Central and lay the groundwork for what would result in a very successful 2015 for the club.

Following another league reshuffle the Saxons got off to a flyer in the re-shaped third tier of British football in 2015, starting 4-0 following victories over the Humber Warhawks, Lincolnshire Bombers and Leicester Falcons, but lost to the impressive Sandwell Steelers.

In fact the Steelers would be the only team to beat them during the regular season as the Saxons marched on to the Division Two final.

2015 Division Two Finalists

Sun 5th April vs Humber Warhawks WON 54-0
Sun 12th April @ Humber Warhawks WON 73-0
Sun 26th April @ Lincolnshire Bombers WON 21-13
Sun 10th May vs Leicester Falcons WON 30-3
Sun 7th June @ Sandwell Steelers LOST 41-14
Sun 21st June vs Leeds Bobcats WON 40-13
Sun 28th June @ Leeds Bobcats WON 28-16
Sun 5th July @ Leicester Falcons LOST 26-13
Sun 19th July @ Lincolnshire Bombers WON 48-10
Sun August 9th vs Sandwell Steelers LOST 28-24

They travelled to Scotland in the quarter-final of the play-offs who they beat 28-26, and after seeing off Manchester Titans 28-14 in the semi-final met their old nemesis the Steelers in the Division Two final.

The Steelers came out winners again, and both teams were promoted to Division One for the 2016 season.

Contact Details

Club Colours

The Saxons club colours are blue, white and black. They wear blue helmets with white face cages, blue jerseys and black pants.

Dates for the Diary

Sunday 8th May, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Peterborough Saxons
Sunday 3rd July, Peterborough Saxons @ Ouse Valley Eagles

Home Ground & How to Get There

The Saxons play their home games at Thorney Rugby Club, Ron Jacobs Field, Peterborough PE6 0PB.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android:

Focus On | Nottingham Caesars

28 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Features, Senior Football BAFANL, Nottingham Caesars

In the third part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents, we concentrate on the Nottingham Caesars…

The Caesars were formed in 1984 originally as a Junior Club alongside the Nottingham Hoods. The Hoods ceased to exist in 1994 which helped the Caesars, who subsequently posted a 10-0 record in 1995.

In 1997 they made it to the Britbowl final before losing out to Redbridge Fire. 26-7.

They were promoted to the BAFL Division 1 South West Conference following a successful 2008 9-0-1 BAFL 2 Central campaign that culminated in a semi-final defeat to the Tamworth Phoenix, but struggled in 2009 and 2010 posting records of 2-8 and 1-9-1.

A league restructure ahead of the 2011 season saw the Caesars in the BAFANL 1 Central Conference where they finished a respectable 6-4, and after another league restructure and a 7-3 season in the BAFANL 1 Northern Conference 2012, were promoted to the Premier Division.

The team struggled at the higher level and ended the 2013 season 1-9, and the following year ended 1-8.

Following yet another league restructure the Caesars found themselves in BAFANL 1 Northern Conference last season, where they posted a much-improved record of 4-5-1.

2015 Schedule

Sun April 19th @ Chester Romans WIN 28-25
Sun April 26th @ Merseyside Nighthawks LOST 46-6
Sun May 10th @ Gateshead Senators LOST 21-9
Sun May 17th @ Shropshire Revolution WON 27-13
Sun May 31st vs Merseyside Nighthawks LOST 27-6
Sun Jun 7th vs Shropshire Revolution WON 47-9
Sun Jun 14th vs Chester Romans WIN 22-12
Sun Jun 28th vs Edinburgh Wolves LOST 36-0
Sun July 19th vs Doncaster Mustangs LOST 26-20
Sun Aug 8th @ Clyde Valley Blackhawks TIE 12-12

Contact Details

Club Colours

The Caesars’ club colours are dark red and yellow. They wear black helmets with black face cages, dark red jerseys and yellow pants.

Dates for the Diary

Sunday 24th April, Nottingham Caesars @ Ouse Valley Eagles
Sunday 12th June, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Nottingham Caesars

Home Ground & How to Get There

The Caesars play their home games at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village on Wigman Road, Nottingham NG8 4PB.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android:

Focus On | Doncaster Mustangs

28 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Features, Senior Football BAFANL, Doncaster Mustangs

In the second part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents, we concentrate on the Doncaster Mustangs…

The Mustangs were formed in 2002 by Mark Blyth, Doug McLean and James Berry, who had grown tired of driving to Mereyside to coach and play for the Nighthawks each weekend.

In the team’s second year they won the BAFL Division 2 title following an undefeated season which culminated in a 32-13 win over the chiltern (now Hertfordshire) Cheetahs at the Don Valley Stadium in the bowl game.

The team made it back to the play-offs in 2005, and in 2007 moved to the newly-opened Keepmoat Stadium.

After three seasons in the Premier Division North between 2012 and 2014 where the they posted successive records of 6-3-1, 6-4 and 0-9, the Mustangs were relegated to the restructured Northern Football Conference 1.

Last season the Mustangs went 4-6 to finish eighth in NFC 1, which included a strong finish to the campaign that saw them win their last three games.

2015 Schedule

Sun April 12th @ Edinburgh Wolves LOST 27-15
Sun April 26th vs Gateshead Senators LOST 27-14
Sun May 10th vs Clyde Valley Blackhawks LOST 17-8
Sun May 24th @ Gateshead Senators WON 18-12
Sun May 31st @ Clyde Valley Blackhawks LOST 26-0
Sun June 14th vs Edinburgh Wolves LOST 49-0
Sun June 28th @ Merseyside Nighthawks LOST 1-0 (Walkover)
Sun July 5th vs Shropshire Revolution WON 28-0
Sun July 19th @ Nottingham Caesars WON 26-20
Sun August 9th vs Chester Romans WON 22-17

Contact Details

Website: doncastermustangs.com
Facebook: DonnyMustangs
Twitter: @DonnyMustangs

Club Colours

The Mustangs’ club colours are green and gold. They wear gold helmets with black face cages, green jerseys and gold pants.

Dates for the Diary

Sunday 17th April, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Doncaster Mustangs
Sunday 17th July, Doncaster Mustangs @ Ouse Valley Eagles

Home Ground & How to Get There

The Mustangs play their home games at the Keepmoat Stadium complex on the Athletics Arena, Stadium Way, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 5JW.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android:

Focus On | Sandwell Steelers

28 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Features, Senior Football BAFANL, Sandwell Steelers, Tipton Sports Academy

In the first part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents we concentrate on last season’s SFC2 South Champions, the Sandwell Steelers…

The Sandwell Steelers were formed in 2013, and in their first associate game against Shropshire Revolution were defeated 42-12.

They entered the BAFA National League Central in 2014, where they would meet the Leicester Falcons, Lincolnshire Bombers, Oxford Saints and Peterborough Saxons and Shropshire Revolution,

They picked up their first competitive victory by beating the Bombers 19-14 and finished the season with a 2-8 record, but after a strong recruitment drive 2015 would be a breakout year for the team from the Midlands in the newly-aligned BAFANL NFC South 2.

2015 NFC2 South Champions

The Steelers went unbeaten on their way to the Division 2 title which included play-off victories over Leicester Falcons, Newcastle Vikings and Peterborough Saxons, and head into the 2016 with momentum well and truly on their side.

Sat April 4th vs Leeds Bobcats WON 44-0
Sun April 26th @ Leeds Bobcats WON 56-6
Sun May 3rd @ Leicester Falcons WON 22-16
Sun May 10th vs Lincolnshire Bombers WON 25-17
Sun May 24th @ Humber Warhawks WON 70-0
Sun 7th June Peterborough Saxons WON 41-14
Sun June 28th @ Lincolnshire Bombers WON 39-13
Sat July 18th vs Humber Warhawks WON 61-0
Sat July 25th vs Leicester Falcons WON 24-20
Sun August 9th @ Peterborough Saxons WON 28-24

They faced divisional rival Leicester Falcons in the quarter-final of the play-offs who they beat 21-6, and after seeing off Newcastle Vikings in the semi-final beat the Saxons in the Division Two final to clinch promotion.

Contact Details

Club Colours

The Steelers club colours are steel, black and yellow. They wear black helmets with yellow face cages, and all steel-grey uniforms.

Dates for the Diary

Sunday 10th April, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Sandwell Steelers
Sunday 22nd May, Sandwell Steelers @ Ouse Valley Eagles

Home Ground & How to Get There

The Steelers home stadium and training base is Tipton Sports Academy, Wednesbury Oak Road, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 0BS.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android:

Easter Egg Delivery

26 Mar

Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football Bedford Hospital, Easter Eggs, Milton Keynes Hospital

Eagles players, coaches and officials paid a visit to Milton Keynes and Bedford Hospitals over the last couple of days to deliver Easter Eggs to the Children’s Wards.

We visited Ward 5 at Milton Keynes Hospital on Thursday (24th March) and the Riverbank Ward in Bedford this morning (Easter Saturday) to hand out the eggs, which had been donated by the Club.

Speaking on behalf of the Club afterwards, Michael Dilley said:

We always enjoy delivering eggs to our local hospitals and are very pleased to be able to do it again this year.

We’re also really happy to be able to show our appreciation to the staff on the wards, who do a fantastic job.

The Eagles kick off the 2016 season away to Sandwell Steelers on Sunday 10th April. Kick-off at Tipton Academy is 1.30pm.

The first home game of the season at Bedford International Athletics Stadium on Barkers Lane, Bedford takes place two weeks later on Sunday 24th April against Nottingham Caesars, kicking off at 12pm.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, squad details and events with out new mobile app for iOS and Android: