The BU Bobcats’ season came to a bitter end this Sunday, as a devastating 24-16 loss to the Portsmouth Destroyers ended their championship hopes.
“When you last walk off that field, you wanna go, ‘I’m pleased with the performance we’ve put in’,” offensive captain Aaron Taylor said leading up to the playoffs. “I don’t wanna have any regrets leaving uniball.”, and despite what the scoreboard said, the Bobcats certainly did leave it all out there.
The National Semi-Final matchup began a very defensive one, with Portsmouth snagging back-to-back interceptions from Alfie Birks, while the BU defence forced a three-and-out, followed by a goal line stand resulting in a turnover on downs in their own redzone.
The subsequent drive ended abruptly, with a mishandled snap on third down being recovered by the Destroyers at the Bobcats’ 8-yard-line. Bournemouth held their own on the goal line yet again, holding the visitors to just a field goal.
Now with Kaan Aray at the helm, BU began to get the ball rolling with some big runs from Teddy Pope, however it wasn’t long before the Bobcats found themselves getting tackled for a loss on 4th.
Following a three-and-out from the Destroyers and some big runs from Alfie Birks, Bournemouth entered the half-time break down 3-0.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the defensive showdown continued, the Bobcats’ run defence showing its dominance again, forcing another three-and-out, while the wet British weather continued to be problematic for the BU offensive unit, with a snap flying over the head of the QB to be recovered by Portsmouth’s Andy Hodson.
A 20-yard gain off a screen pass to Jamal Ryan-Coker set the Destroyers up at the BU 3-yard line, where they were able to punch it in for a touchdown with a run up the middle. Charlie Mossop split the uprights, making the score 10-0 to Portsmouth.
The Bournemouth offence found some success in the ground game, big runs coming from Teddy Pope and Nico Miller, but ultimately the possession ended in the punt team walking onto the field and the ball back in the hands of Portsmouth’s Nathan Harvey.
After getting the ball back off a punt in the fourth quarter, BU seemed to have a new lease of life, kicking off the drive with a big completion from Birks to Liam Allen. Despite a few more mishandled snaps, Alfie Birks took the momentum and ran with it, using his legs to take the Bobcats within ten yards of the endzone, where they were able to force their way past the goal line and onto the scoreboard with a short power run from Teddy Pope. Birks ran in the conversion, making the score 10-8.
The Destroyers didn’t take long to take the game back to a two-score lead, as Harvey hit Harry Dickinson in stride on a fake screen. Dickinson went all the way for a 60-yard touchdown, followed by a successful PAT.
After another Bournemouth turnover-on-downs, a 22-yard end-around run by Dickinson took Portsmouth to a 24-8 lead late in the 4th.
Bournemouth bit back with urgency the next drive; two big runs from Alfie Birks on top of a huge catch-and-run from Alfie Tizzard-Adams took BU to scoring-range, where Birks rolled right and hit his fellow QB Kaan Aray in the back of the endzone for a spectacular toe-tap touchdown. Another Birks conversion made the score 24-16.
Despite these efforts, however, it was too little too late for the home side, as a failed onside kick attempt saw Portsmouth regain possession and hand Bournemouth their first home loss since before COVID-19.
Although it was a sour note to end the season, the Bournemouth University Bobcats have exceeded expectations all season, coming into a strong Division 1 – a division they were predicted by many to be on the bottom end of – and losing just two games, both by one score.
The Bobcats will return to the field to face South-Coast rivals Solent Redhawks in their annual varsity matchup at Chapel Gate in May.
The matchup between the Leeds Gryphons and Loughborough Students on the 15th will determine who Portsmouth will be facing in Nottingham on the 21st, where two sides will battle for the crown of Division 1 National Champions.
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