Manchester’s two American football teams faced off in the first derby of the season, but the University of Manchester Tyrants came away worthy winners, beating the Manchester Metropolitan University Eagles 36-24.
Neither team seemed to relish the biting, near-freezing temperatures with their opening possessions through 15 minutes stiff and ineffective. Quarterback Leendert van Dalsen was the player that got the Tyrants’ offence moving. During the Tyrants’ second possession, he seemed to come up with a crucial play whenever the team needed it. An accurate pass on third down, clever footwork in the pocket to avoid a costly sack, or a scramble when his receivers were blanketed downfield.
His best play of the day came after a methodical drive took the Tyrants down to the Eagles’ 21-yard line. Dalsen doesn’t look like he has blistering pace, but once he gets going defenders are only able to wave goodbye to his heels. He rolled out to his left down the opposing touchline, smoked the defenders and tiptoed down the edge of the field to the end zone pylon for six points.
Running back duo Ed Shelley and Joshua Welsh continue to be an unpleasant pair to face. Both players love to run through the opposition. And now rookie Elliot Thomas has been added into the mix. Shelley’s tall frame in particular, makes him a nightmare for defenders to tackle. No matter how they try to bring him down, he keeps his legs pumping and chews up the yards. Shelley ended up with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion on the day. Both Welsh and Thomas had a touchdown each by full time.
The beauty for Coach Mike Ripley is that he can rotate all three of his running backs, so the defence never gets a rest. And ultimately, it was this brutal running game that really sealed the game for the Tyrants. Each scoring drive would be an efficient march down the field, edging closer to the endzone and draining minutes off the game clock. It was more of a surprise when the Tyrants didn’t end a drive with points.
A 12-point difference in the final scoreline might not suggest a dominant performance from the away team. But two Eagles touchdowns once the game was out of sight in the final quarter of the game made the game look closer than it was in reality.
Eagles utility back Edu Reader was the home team’s best player on the day. A rushing touchdown, a two-point conversion, and a receiving touchdown is a great day for anyone, but he left his best moment for the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Running towards the end zone, Reader Super Mario jumped over the Tyrants defender and in for the touchdown. A bright spot for the team on a poor day.
The Tyrants’ defence will be irritated they let the score slip but overall it was another solid performance from the team. Rookie cornerback Josh Kinnear came away with an interception in the fourth quarter. Team spirit is certainly high within this group; they swarmed Kinnear as he walked back to the sideline, and throughout the game, the sideline was loud, intimidating, and full of confidence.
Whilst the Tyrants’ special teams had another mistake-free afternoon, there is room for improvement. Whenever they line up to receive punts you can sense the fear of a fumble. Screams of “Poison!” are bellowed from teammates on the sideline whenever the ball goes into the air. It’s undoubtedly the safest option, but it is forcing them to start their drives close to their own end zone. In tighter games against more penetrating defences, this will cause them problems.
Off the field, the team have raised £1,168 for Movember this year, and according to their Instagram account, a nude team calendar is on the way as a result.
Next up for the Tyrants is a ‘Dino Bowl’ rematch against the Liverpool Raptors, and they’ll be hoping to make up for the convincing defeat inflicted on them in the first week of the season. A vastly improved Tyrants team will need to be at their best to beat a title rival on the road.
