Falcons Youth Programme takes flight

The Leicester Falcons have been successful in securing just under £6,000 from Sport England's "Sports Unlimited" fund to help deliver a programme of youth activities. These funds will enable the purchase of the essential equipment needed to play American Football and to help remove the cost barrier to those wishing to play this great team sport

Following the success of the Falcons Senior Team being crowned BAFL Division 2 Champions, steps have already been taken to build for the future and develop community and school activities. In December a series of taster sessions were run for 15 to 19 year olds to gauge the level of interest in American Football within the young people of Leicestershire. This proved a resounding success with in excess of 30 players turning up each week. As a result, the Falcons Youth Team was formed and has been training regularly since. It aims to be an associate member of the National League playing a series exhibition games before entering into the National Youth League in 2011.

"Our objective is to make our youth programme as accessible as possible to all communities. To do this we want to remove the cost barrier, to aim our programme to the wider community and to use our sport to make an impact with young people as a tool in combating youth antisocial behaviour and crime " said Club President, Guy Kersey.

The Falcons community programme has now extended into the schools system with 2 upper schools taking part in a pilot after school programme; Beauchamp College in Oadby and John Cleveland Community College in Hinckley. The first taster sessions have already taken place at Beauchamp with 35 young people attending and the John Cleveland programme will start after Easter. This is phase 1 of a 3 phase programme and is to display the potential popularity and positive impact of American Football in schools.

Local Falcon Soaring to Festival Stage

Leicester Falcons player Nick Surface will be playing the main stage at this May’s Glastonbudget Festival in Wymeswold, Leicestershire. Exactly two months and a day after helping the Falcons to claim the Division 2 BAFL championship in Doncaster, Surface was on stage at the Shed in Leicester along with his band, The Lucky 27s. This was their second audition for the Glastonbudget Festival in as many months. The second time proved to be lucky as the band were informed by festival organiser Chris Dunn that he would like them to play the main stage as part of a showcase of original acts. In the past, the main stage has been used solely for tribute acts, but Glastonbudget is expanding its direction as they continue to grow.

The festival is now into its sixth year and, as the name suggests, is a budget weekend music festival in Leicestershire that aims to rival any of the bigger festivals in true tribute style. It all started in 2005, when they gathered 18 of the top tribute bands from around Europe and put together a weekend that proved popular with all who attended. Since then, it has grown and is now the biggest tribute and new music festival in Europe with hopes of growing even bigger still. It now also includes over 130 new acts from not only the UK but around the world as well as a wide range of alternative entertainment.

This year’s festival will be from the 28th – 30th of May and with tickets only recently going on sale, there are still plenty of one day and weekend tickets available. In the past, the festival has seen tributes to bands such as Oasis and Queen with rave reviews from audiences. They are expecting an even wider range of tribute acts this year to accompany the host of new and original acts on their 6 stages. If you would like to attend, buy tickets here or more information can be found here.

Britbowl Glory For Falcons

Falcons 33 – Colchester Gladiators 32

Leicester Falcons clinched the Division 2 Title in an amazing one-point victory over Colchester Gladiators at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster. In a high-scoring game between two evenly matched teams, it proved to be Leicester’s accuracy with extra-point kicks that was the deciding factor.

Leicester gained possession from the opening kick-off, and began with a solid seven-minute drive that was capped off with a fifteen yard scramble from quarterback Arturo Sanchez into the end zone. Colchester hit back immediately, as the Falcons defence failed to deal with the Gladiators’ dangerous jet sweep and Richard Thomas rushed 70 yards for the score. However, on the next possession the Falcons’ running game produced its own big touchdown, as Timi Dada broke a tackle to run 80 yards and regain the lead for the Falcons.

In the second quarter, the Gladiators hit back. While the Falcons linebackers were learning to deal with their powerful running game, the Gladiators started to pass, and Colchester quarterback Daniel Singer found Thomas in the end zone for a 30 yard touchdown reception. The Gladiators defence stepped up to stop the Falcons offence and on their next possession Matthew Excel powered into the end zone to give the Gladiators their first lead of the match. After missing a chance to extend their lead with a field goal on their next drive, Colchester relinquished the ball and gave Leicester a chance to equalise. After driving into the red zone, Sanchez was unfortunately unable to find Ben Williams open in the end zone, and the Falcons went in at half-time six points behind.

Leicester came out all guns blazing in the second half. After forcing a punt from the Gladiators, the Falcons regained the ball and Dada found a large hole to run for 55 yards and the touchdown. Both defences stepped up in the third quarter and both sides were forced into punting. Colchester’s breakthrough came in fortuitous circumstances, a tipped pass landing in the arms of Tommy Clarke to give the Gladiators back the lead with one quarter remaining.

The final quarter could not have been any more nail-biting. Leicester produced another long, steady drive, culminating in Sanchez finding Ben Williamswho ran to the one yard line, and eventual-MVPTimi Dada powered in for his third touchdown. The Point After Touchdown gave Leicester a one point lead. Things seemed to be swinging the Leicester’s way after Johnny Hopewell forced a fumble which was recovered by the Falcons, but after another red-zone drive the ball was fumbled by Dada and recovered by Colchester. After a Gladiators punt, the Falcons regained possession and Rich Davis produced a stunning 60 yard run, breaking tackles to score his first touchdown since April in none-more-dramatic circumstances. With three minutes remaining, Colchester had one last attempt to score. They drove the ball up the field, including a fourth-down conversion, and then with just seventeen seconds remaining powered the ball in for the touchdown. The drama was not over however. Kicker Richard Thomas agonisingly hit the post with the conversion attempt, and Leicester pounced on the resulting onside kick to take the most slender of victories.

This was a brilliant advert for British American Football and a wonderful culmination of a season’s worth of hard work for the Falcons. Timi Dada will be delighted to be named MVP with three touchdowns in front of the GB selectors to cap off an amazing rookie season. However, every single player in a Falcons jersey gave 100%, and have truly earned the Division 2 title. And of course, a special mention must go to the Falcons’ tremendous travelling support, who were in full voice throughout. See you in Division 1 next year!

Joel Pearson

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Falcons Ready For Gladatorial Battle

Leicester Falcons are ready for the biggest game in the club’s short history as they prepare for Saturday’s BritBowl Division 2 Final at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster. 2009 has seen a team transformed as the Falcons, who last season had a record of three wins, five losses and two ties, stormed to a playoff spot with a 7-2-1 record. They then made the rest of the league sit up and take notice with a heavy defeat of top seeds and BritBowl favourites Manchester Titans, before edging out Glasgow Tigers in a thriller to take their spot in the championship game.

Influential additions to the Falcons’ offensive roster for 2009 have included Timi Dada, who joined from the university team Leicester Longhorns and has led the way with over 1400 rushing yards, and quarterback Arturo Sanchez who signed after a spell in the Italian league and transformed the Falcons’ passing game with 14 touchdown passes. The defence has also seen new signings such as American safety Nick Surface, but it is the old guard of Andy Hill and Phil Rudkin who have been consistently making the tackles.

The championship game will be no walk in the park, however. Colchester Gladiators are unbeaten and, although in a perceived ‘weak’ division, scored an astonishing 47 points on average throughout the season. They are regarded as having the best rushing attack in the division and boast two 1000+ yard running backs in Alex Robinson and Leo Beckford. However, with Leicester having one of the best defensive records against the run in the division, will they have met their match?

“We’ve worked hard all year and preparations have been going well” said Head Coach Lester Hopewell. “If everyone brings their A-game we know we can get the right result with our own brand of 'smash-mouth' football.”

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Leicester Falcons 7 – Glasgow Tigers 6

Leicester Falcons reached their first ever BritBowl in a nailbiting 7-6 win over Glasgow Tigers at Leicester Forest RFC. With two of the division’s top defences going head to head, it was always going to be a low scoring affair and the game proved to be a terrific defensive struggle to the end.

While all the scoring came in the fourth quarter, the game was hardly without incident. The Falcons did get the ball into the end zone early in the first quarter via a long run from Timi Dada, but it was called back for a holding penalty. The Falcons defence held Glasgow to one first down in the first quarter, thanks to crunching tackles by Saul Freer and Bernie Hackshaw. The best chance for the Tigers came after an interception, where Glasgow drove the ball inside the Falcons red zone but stalled and a field goal attempt was blocked. Leicester’s offence was moving slightly better, quarterback Arturo Sanchez finding favourite target Ben Williams for a couple of gains and Dada consistently moving the ball, but could not find a breakthrough, and a field goal attempt towards the end of the half failed.

The third quarter was much of the same. Ron Mason intercepted ex-Scottish Claymore Scott Couper twice in the third quarter, but the offence was unable to take advantage. Mason’s second interception was returned into the red zone, but Sanchez was intercepted in the end zone by Dave Carney.

The Falcons began the fourth quarter in the best possible way. Nick Surface recorded his second interception of the day and returned the ball into the red zone, then with short field Arturo Sanchez threw to Chris Rodrigo in the end zone. The ball was deflected, but found its way into the arms of Ben Longland for the score. Longland also took the extra point to make the score 7-0. However, the game was far from over. After a six-minute drive starting at their own twenty yard line, the Tigers moved the ball into the Falcons’ fifteen yard line, and Couper hit receiver Ruairdh McDonald in the corner of the end zone for the score. Instead of kicking to tie the game up, the Tigers gambled on a two-point conversion to go for the win. However, Couper was sacked by Johnny Hopewell, and the Falcons kept the lead. Glasgow attempted the onside kick, which was recovered by Alec Grant to end the game.

The win all but confirms the Falcons will be playing in Division 1 next year. More importantly, it confirms the Falcons as the BAFL Division 2 North champions, and secures their place in the BritBowl. The BritBowl is held at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster on September 26th, kickoff 7.00pm, and the Falcons will face Colchester Gladiators, who confirmed their status as the #1 ranked team in the South by beating Hampshire Thrashers 49-20.

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Falcons soar to semi-finals

Manchester Titans’ unbeaten season came to an abrupt halt as Leicester Falcons produced a second-half masterclass to reach the Division 2 playoff semi-finals. After a tight first half, Leicester ran away with the game to upset the odds and extend their season.

The first half was a very cagey affair. Manchester began with a slow, grinding seven-minute drive that ended in a well-struck 40-yard field goal. Leicester responded with a series of decent rushes, but were unable to capitalise. The Falcons defence however stepped up to limit the Titans to three-and-out, big tackles by Phil Rudkin and Johnny Hopewell virtually shutting down the Titans running game all day.

The game exploded into life in the second quarter. Leicester made good yardage with their short passing game, Glenn Herring making two receptions on the drive, and Timi Dada ran in from 21 yards for the first touchdown of the game. While the Titans running game was non-existent, they were passing well, and quarterback Alan Mead found Mark Squire for a big gain before being picked off by Falcons safety Nick Surface. After a field goal attempt that was blocked by the Falcons, the Titans’ breakthrough came when Adam Simms returned a punt over 50 yards to the five-yard line, and Mead threw to tight end Chris Heap to give Manchester back the lead. Inside the final two minutes the Falcons regained possession, and Dada produced a wonderful 45-yard run before Andy Hill powered over the line from short yardage. With all the PATs missed, the score was 12-9 to the Falcons at the half.

Leicester began the second half in the best possible fashion. Nick Surface returned the opening kickoff into the end zone, but the touchdown was ruled out for a block in the back on the 30-yard line. However, the Falcons only needed the one play to get the touchdown they deserved, Arturo Sanchez finding Chris Rodrigo in the end zone to extend the Falcons’ lead. Manchester seemed rattled, having been behind on so few occasions this season, and their heads appeared to drop. After a quick three-and-out, the Falcons regained the ball and scored again, Sanchez hitting Ben Williams who was wide open in the end zone. The Titans were not out of the game yet though, Adam Simms making a superb 45-yard touchdown reception to end the quarter.

The fourth quarter, however, belonged only to the Falcons. Williams achieved his second touchdown of the game after a great catch and run for 25 yards, and after Graham Fallows recovered a fumble by quarterback Mead the game was as good as over. Rich Davis was denied a touchdown by inches, but Sanchez ran the ball in on a bootleg to make the score 39-15.

While this was arguably the biggest win in the Falcons’ history, it means that the Green Machine must now play an even bigger game. Leicester host the Glasgow Tigers on Sunday 6th September, who beat Staffordshire Surge 12-0 in the other northern section quarter final, with a place in the BritBowl at stake.

>Joel Pearson

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Falcons QB, “Playing for Beer”????

The position of Quarter Back for the Falcons this season has been a troublesome one which started when new signing and National Finalist Tim Spaull left to re sign with the Premiership Farnham Knights 2 weeks before the start of the season. This saw 2008 veteran Rob Wylie step in and although he provided some solid performances did not give the aerial threat to compliment the power running game
Brad Thompson then moved under centre, Brad in his rookie year was seen as a Quarter Back for the future but was thrust into action and after a slow start was making excellent progress until a sprained knee saw him out injured after the Maidstone Pumas game in week 4

During this time Gareth Davis was also playing the position, he however moved to Spain, Rob Wylie left the Falcons to hook up with former coach Colin Branagh at the Birmingham Bulls. This saw former Quarter Back and starting Tight End Pete Davis and starting Safety Nick Surface step in to fill the gap, this saw the number of Quarter Backs this season stand at 6. Pete started against Essex and led the team to a 20-0 victory. However the passing game was still under performing and this left the Falcons looking too one dimensional in attack

Luckily this season the football gods have been smiling on the Green Machine and during the 3 week break Guy Kersey Falcons President was contacted by a Mexican player who was in Europe and had just finished playing for the Catania Elephant is Sicily in the Italian Premier League the background for John Grisham book Playing for Pizza which is a very high standard of football. Arturo Sanchez was the Quarter Back that the Falcons had been looking for he was moving to the UK to study and joined the Falcons after seeing what an ambitious team they were.

Arturo had played for the Borregos CEM Instituto Tecnoñógico in Mexico City where the crowds can reach 50,000 and has also coached at the Pumas UNAM, Mexico City, before starting his European adventure in 2008 when he joined the Palermo Sharks again in the IFL where he took them to the National ¼ finals.

Sanchez started his life as a Falcon at home against the Shropshire Revolution and this was and incredibly exciting game with the lead changing hands minute by minute with the Revs missing a last minute field goal to win the match and leaving the game tied 20-20, but the difference was clear Sanchez calling his own plays and passing for 13 completed passes for 215 yards and 2 scores surpassing the previous best at the Falcons 6 for 144 yards.

With Sanchez at the helm along with the Falcons already potent running game this gives the Falcons offence a greater balance, and his coaching and experience invaluable to the development of the younger players

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Revolution 14 - Leicester Falcons 18

Leicester Falcons clinched their first ever playoff place with a thrilling four point win over divisional rivals Shropshire Revolution at Telford RFC. The achievement is all the more remarkable considering this is only the Falcons' second season in the British American Football League. In a nerve-wracking game where the lead changed hands five times, either team could have won the game, but in the end it was the Falcons who did just enough to win, scoring the winning touchdown with just 48 seconds remaining.

The previous encounter between these teams ended in a draw, and the fact these teams are so evenly matched was evident in the first half, as both teams struggled to make a breakthrough. Shropshire stuck to their running game which was shut down well by the Falcons' linebacking core, while Leicester predominantly used their short passing game. Eventually this paid dividends, with Ben Williams making a well-taken reception in the end zone from quarterback Arturo Sanchez, making the score 6-0 at the quarter.

The rivalry between these two teams is well-documented, and this was evident in a series of flashpoints in the first half. Eventually tensions boiled over and Revolution running back Russ Lingwood was ejected for roughing, and Rich Davis followed after being harshly adjudged to have retaliated. Manager Guy Kersey confirmed the Falcons would appeal this decision after viewing video footage of the incident, which appeared to show Davis attempting to break up the scuffle.

With Davis out and Timi Dada being rested due to fitness concerns, this was a chance for Samoan rugby legend Freddie Tuilagi to make an impact in a Falcons jersey. Tuilagi had a number of good runs but was ultimately stopped by the Revolution's strong linebackers, notably having the ball knocked from his hands on the five yard line after a powerful 30-yard rush. The second quarter finished scoreless.

In the third quarter, the game exploded into life. Revolution quarterback James Horn entered the game and immediately made an impact, taking advantage of short field position to find Andrew Plant in the end zone. Plant converted the extra point to give the Revolution a one point lead. However, Leicester responded magnificently. Timi Dada was introduced to the Falcons attack and showed no signs of injury, producing a 45 yard run on the next drive before running into the end zone himself from nine yards. The two point conversion attempt failed, but the Falcons got back the lead, 12-7. This did not last, however. The ensuing kick off was returned to the Falcons 30 yard line, and Shropshire running back Andy Calvert began to find momentum with two big runs to score Revolution's second touchdown, to take the game into the fourth quarter.

The final quarter began with another big gain from Timi Dada, but the drive was stopped in the red zone. A field goal which would have given the Falcons the lead back was missed, and Shropshire began a period of sustained posession. Will Bruckshaw ended this drive with his first Falcons interception, but the Falcons offence appeared to be showing nerves, with a handful of dropped passes. Time appeared to be running out for the Falcons, but inside the final two minutes Dada took the ball into the red zone. On fourth down and one, inside the five yard mark, Leicester gambled and ran the ball. The Revolution defence were sold on a superb fake by Tuilagi, and Arturo Sanchez ran a bootleg pattern into the corner to break Shropshire hearts.

This was an outstanding performance by the Falcons in a great advert for division 2 football, where it was a shame one team had to lose. Everyone involved with Leicester Falcons American Football is delighted to make the playoffs after massive effort from all the players, and the season will continue with a trip to Division 2 North conference winners Manchester Titans in two weeks. The Falcons final regular season record stands at 7-2, with one tie.

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Falcons v Staffordshire Surge

Leicester Falcons gained revenge for their defeat earlier in the season with a tremendous 34-6 win over conference leaders Staffordshire Surge. This was a superb team effort, to inflict only the second defeat for the season on the Surge. The result means that Leicester have completed the season unbeaten at home, and are now only one win away from the Division 2 playoffs.

On a fine summer evening, the first quarter was extremely well balanced. Leicester had the better of the opening exchanges, Ben Longland among the players making big yardage, but couldn't capitalise. Longland missed a field goal from 38 yards to end the Falcons best drive. The Surge took slightly longer to find their feet but also began to move the ball, and looked dangerous until Ron Mason made a superb interception in the end zone. The Falcons were first to make the breakthrough with the very first play of the second quarter. Falcons' Quarter Back Arturo Sanchez found Glen Herring uncovered, who ran in for a 55 yard touchdown reception. This spurred the Surge into action however, and they did not take long to score a touchdown of their own. Staffs Quarter Back, Richard Large, found his rhythm and eventually threw a touchdown pass to tight end Steve Ward, but the Surge missed the extra point to tie the game. At this point the momentum seemed to lie with the Surge, who were now throwing the ball consistently, but Leicester's defensive line completely shut down the opposing running game. For the rest of the first half the two teams cancelled each other out, and the half ended amongst ugly scenes which saw a player ejected from both sides for fighting.

The second half, however, could not have been more different. Staffordshire, who travelled to Leicester with a small squad, suffered from fatigue and the Falcons began to capitalise. On the opening drive, Large again passed the ball downfield for the Surge but was eventually picked off by linebacker Ian Sturgess, who made his third interception in two games. After a decent return, the Falcons gave the ball to the unstoppable Timi Dada who performed his usual magic on a 60 yard touchdown run, for his twelfth Touch Down of the season. After this point, the Falcons dominated. Ben Williams received a short pass and ran in from seventeen yards to make the score 21-6 then, as the fourth quarter began, veteran safety Karl Burgess made an interception which he then returned 65 yards for the score. The scoring was rounded off by Ben Longland, who took in Arturo Sanchez's third touchdown pass of the game from twelve yards.

The Falcons now travel to Telford for a crucial final game of the regular season against Shropshire Revolution. With both teams winning today, the Falcons need to avoid defeat to be certain of a playoff trip to Manchester Titans, who were confirmed as top seeds today in the northern section.

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Falcons 2nd 1000 yard Rusher

For the second year in succession the Leicester Falcons have produced a star running back. Last year Rich Davis rushed for 1031 yards in 8 games at an average of 6.6 yards per carry. This was in the Falcons rookie year and saw Davis carry the majority of the workload .

Going into the 2009 season Davis was looking in his usual form but then a bad thigh injury during the 1st game of the season saw him sidelined for 10 weeks. Fortunately for the Falcons they had another weapon in the backfield, Timi Dada. 2009 is Timi’s rookie season in the senior league having previously played for the Longhorns of Leicester University where Timi studies.

Timi has had an outstanding rookie season rushing for over 1000 yards in just 8 games including an astonishing 247 yards against Maidstone and has scored 10 touchdowns this has come at an average of 10.2 yards per carry. Timi ‘s style of running is a combination of explosive speed, powerful hits and elusive moves which make him a very difficult player to stop. However, these statistics can only be achieved with the help of the Offensive line which, this year, has seen vast improvements on 2008. With one of the biggest units in BAFL 2, most in excess of 6’2” and 300lbs, the “bully boys” have been creating some big holes for Timi to rush through.

With 2 games left and the return to fitness of Rich Davis the Falcons Rushing Unit is a force to be reckoned with as the make their charge for the play offs

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Falcons Dominant

Leicester Falcons moved a step closer to the playoffs with a dominant 55-0 win over Lincolnshire Bombers. The result was never in doubt against the league’s bottom team and Leicester dominated from start to finish.
The match began well for the Falcons after linebacker Andy Hill intercepted a tipped pass on the very first play from scrimmage. While they couldn’t capitalise on this, missing a field goal attempt, they had another chance after Bombers quarterback Graham Fordham was intercepted for a second time almost immediately, this time by Ian Sturgess. Timi Dada ran the ball home to give the Falcons an early lead. It didn’t take long for this lead to double as, after a quick three-and-out from the Bombers, the next drive saw Arturo Sanchez find Ben Longland in the end zone. Longland dusted himself off to take the extra point himself and make the lead 14-0. Sturgess then made his second interception of the day and thought he’d returned it for a touchdown, but the play was called back for holding, one of three disallowed touchdowns for the day.

In the second quarter the Falcons really dominated, scoring with virtually every possession. First, Sanchez hit Nick Surface from 25 yards, then Timi Dada added his second, and tenth of the season, with a fantastic 42 yard mazy run. Dada moved over 1000 yards for the season during this game. The half was rounded off with a short pass from Sanchez to Glen Herring in the end zone, for his first TD of the season. The defence meanwhile were relentless and kept Lincolnshire in their own half for the entire first period.

In the second half, Lincolnshire began to come into the game a bit more, and began to move the ball on offence. The Falcons on the other hand had taken their foot off the gas, and Sanchez was intercepted by Ben Senescall for the Bombers. However, the Falcons woke up again in the fourth quarter to add two more scores. Fullback and player-manager Guy Kersey surged up the middle to be cruelly denied a touchdown by the referees who spotted the ball inches from the line, but Kersey got his chance a couple of plays later. To round off the scoring, Ben Williams made a 15 yard reception and make the score 55-0.

This was a convincing display by the Falcons who were expected to post a big score, and did what was needed. Coupled with Shropshire Revolution’s loss to Staffordshire Surge, this result puts the Falcons in second place outright in the conference, and keeps them in fourth in the race for the Division 2 playoffs (north). Next comes a big test for Leicester who will be looking to avenge their defeat to the Surge earlier in the season, while the Revolutions will be expected to beat Plymouth Admirals to keep the pressure on the Falcons.

Joel Pearson

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Falcons Hold Revolution

Sunday's match between Leicester Falcons and Shropshire Revolution promised to be a good challenge. Both teams had 4 wins and 2 losses so far this season with the Falcons just ahead with fewer points scored against them. We were not disappointed and both teams were locked in a terrific battle at Leicester Forest Rugby Club. After a titanic struggle, in which the lead repeatedly changed hands, the matched finished as a 20-20 draw, a fitting result as neither team deserved to lose.

Leicester introduced new Mexican quarterback signing, Arturo Sanchez, the sixth player to go under centre for the Falcons this season. With several season's experience playing football in Mexico and Italy, big things were expected of him, and he didn’t disappoint, returning stats of 12 completed passes for 213 yards.

Shropshire struck first on their opening drive. They produced a steady, long drive with a shovel pass from James Horn to Russ Lingwood being the longest gain. Eventually Horn sneaked the ball in from short yardage, but only after the Falcons had successfully kept the ball out twice with a yard to go.

Leicester did not take long to hit back. The Big Green Offence tried out a new shotgun offence which improved the passing game no end, and Arturo Sanchez hit Glen Herring and Ben Williams in the march up field. However, the touchdown came from a familiar source, with running back Timi Dada taking the ball in from 20 yards. The extra point was missed, making the score 7-6. From this point on, the second quarter belonged to the Falcons. The defence performed well with crunching tackles coming in from Ian Sturgess and Phil Rudkin, and the offence kept the ball moving but was unable to finish. With half time close, Sanchez hit receiver Chris Rodrigo with a fantastic 50-yard pass, but did not have enough time to complete the drive.

The second half began well for the Falcons, who first held the Revolution to one first down then produced a solid drive for their second touchdown of the day. Last season’s MVP Rich Davis, returned to action after injury and made a couple of solid runs, but it was Timi Dada who finally ran the ball into the end zone on a fourth down, scoring his eighth touchdown of the season. The lead was short lived, however. On the next drive, Revolution Quarter Back James Horn hit receiver Andrew Plant for a 55-yard pass, who broke a tackle to score the touchdown. The conversion was missed, keeping the gap at one point.

As the fourth quarter began, the lead changed hands again. In stark contrast to a defence-orientated first half, by now both offences were moving the ball. After a first down by Rich Davis, Arturo Sanchez found Chris Rodrigo for a fantastic 43 yard touchdown pass. Rodrigo finished with six catches for a career-high 141 yards. A pass from Sanchez to Ben Williams added the extra two points, to make the score 20 to 13. Yet again, Shropshire hit back, Lingwood taking the kickoff back to the Falcons’ 40 yard line, and eventually running the ball in himself from 6 yards. The successful PAT tied the game at 20-20.

The excitement was not over, however. In a nerve-shredding final few minutes Shropshire marched the ball down the field but were stopped at the 20 yard line by a dogged Falcons’ defence, and with 31 seconds remaining on the clock Revolution kicker Andrew Plant put the field goal attempt wide.

Both teams seemed happy with the result, as nothing could separate them over the course of the sixty minutes. With Lancashire Wolverines losing their match, one of these teams still has a good chance to make the playoffs alongside conference leaders Staffordshire Surge. For now, the Falcons retain their slim lead and the return fixture on the final day of the season will prove crucial. Next up for Leicester is an away trip to bottom of the conference team Lincolnshire

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Playoff Dates

BAFL have now announced the dates for the playoffs - keep them free in case.

Quarter Finals - 29/30 August

Semi Finals - 5/6 September

Championship Final - 26 September 19.00 at Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster

Details and rules for selecting teams to play off are on the official BAFL Announcement

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Falcons overcome the Spartans

Leicester Falcons bounced back from a disappointing trip to Staffordshire with a comprehensive 20-0 victory at home to the Essex Spartans that keeps them in the hunt for the playoffs.

On the hottest day of the year thus far and with humidity high, the Spartans arrived with a poor record having lost five of their six matches this season. This could have been deceptive as they has lost to Colchester Gladiators, London Olympians and Hampshire Thrashers; all teams at the top of their respective conferences. They had also beaten Maidstone Pumas by a wider margin than the Falcons. In the end the match proved more one sided with the Falcons' Defence successfully pinning down the Spartans' who seldom really threatened the Falcons end zone.

The first quarter was dominated by the defences and remained scoreless. Both teams predominantly used their running games but were stopped by a solid linebacker core. The Falcons managed not to concede a first down, crucial tackles by Carl Edson and David Smith stopping the Spartans on third down. On offence, the Falcons were moving the ball thanks to running backs Timi Dada and Chris Jagger, but solid defending from Essex, including an interception on the opening drive by the Spartans safety S Tindall, kept the game scoreless.

I n the second quarter the Falcons’ offence stepped up a gear, and rookie quarterback Pete Davis began to find his feet, finding first Ben Williams for a gain of twenty yards then Ben Longland on a crucial fourth down conversion. The score finally came from an unlikely source, linebacker Andy Hill playing at running back powered up the middle to go over the line from eleven yards. The touchdown seemed to energise the Falcons and soon added a second. On the next drive some big rushes from Timi Dada and another long pass from Davis to Longland put the Falcons into the red zone, and Dada rushed in from eight yards virtually untouched. Longland added the extra point to make the halftime score 13-0.

In the second half the heat began to fatigue both sides, particularly the Spartans who had a number of players playing both sides of the ball. While Essex began to get some offensive drives together, largely keeping the Falcons’ offence off the field, they were unable to even make the red zone, Ron Mason and Alex Ottaway both producing a number of big tackles. The game was in danger of petering out when Falcons’ cornerback Nick Byrne intercepted David Lattie and magnificently returned the ball 90 yards for a touchdown, to take the score to 20-0 with the PAT.

This was a very positive game for the Falcons, who appeared to have learned a number of lessons from the defeat to Staffordshire Surge a week previously. While the offence still needs to cut out penalties they are consistently moving the ball both on the ground and through the air, while the defence is as solid as ever, recording their third shut-out of the season.

Leicester Falcons now have two weeks of training before a crucial divisional match with Shropshire Revolution, who like the Falcons have a 4-2 record.

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Falcons miss chance to go top

This Sunday the Falcons missed the opportunity to go top of the Central Conference. With rivals Shropshire Revolution losing at Bedford the opportunity was there; just beat Staffordshire Surge, but instead the Falcons lost 20-0.

Surge, who were relegated from divison 1 last year, are an experienced team and so far have been scoring freely with their passing attack lead by veteran Quarter Back Richard Large. Their Defence has also been tough all year.

The Falcons came into the game with a potent running game and a improving passing game, but this was dealt a blow when starting Quarter Back Brad Thompson tore his knee ligaments. Gaz Davis then moved to Spain leaving the Falcons with only one active Quarter Back. Coach Hopewell has been working hard with Tight End, Pete Davis, to repair this deficit.

This game was a tale of the two sides of the ball. The Falcons Defence did a great job of containing the Surge's passing game and shut their running game down to minimal yards and, although Surge moved the ball the Big Green's Defence did a great job of turning the ball over. 3 interceptions and 1 fumble kept the Surge down to 2 scores which in most games would have been enough to win the game. Stand-out performances were made by linebackers Andy Hill and Phil Rudkin while corner Karl Burgess recovered the fumble. Safety Nick Surface continued his pre-season form and intercepted the Surge Quarter Back three times which takes him to 6 interceptions for the season.

The first of the 3 Staffordshire Touch Downs was a little fortuitous. The Surge receiver ran a route down the sideline but Falcons cornerback, Ron Mason, had him covered tight and leapt to intercept the ball on 4th down, the ball went in and then bounced out and unluckily for Mason landed straight in the arms of the Surge's receiver. At the end of the game, with time running out, the Surge's running back swept round the right side broke a couple of tackles and took it in for the 6 to seal the victory.

Another Touch Down for the Surge came in the form an interception from the outside Linebacker who sprinted in from 30 yards out after picking off a Rob Wylie pass that sailed upward as he got hit just as he threw it. And this was the other tale of the game. Although the Falcons' Offense moved the ball well throughout most of the game, they gave away possession at crucial times, throwing a total of 5 interceptions. Coach Hopewell tried all 3 Quarter Backs but all threw interceptions at crucial times. There were still some good performances and yet again Timi Dada continued his great form with another 160 yards of rushing. But this could be so much more if you consider he had around another 80 yards called back for penalties including 2 Touch Downs

The Falcons now are 3-2 and have the talent to still challenge this season but they must cut out these costly mistakes on Offence. They can make immediate amends when the face Essex Spartans at home this Sunday 2:30 kick off at Leicester Forest RFC

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Falcons go to top of the table

The Falcons took the long journey down south to meet the Maidstone Pumas on a sweltering hot day. The small Pumas squad would have their work cut out in such heat playing such a physical team as the Falcons.

The game was proceeded by the Pumas youth game against the London Blitz Youth who won 46 – 0. Our start was delayed by just short of an hour while the zebra crew had a well earned break.

The delay didn’t seem to effect the Falcons much as, following a strong defensive stand on the Pumas first possession, the Falcons running game marched down to field with Timi Dada, who broke free for one of many long runs, this time taking it down to the 6 yard line. Lawrence Grugeon entered the game and, on his first carry, tucked in behind Dan Knight and powered into the Endzone for the go-ahead Touch Down.

Pumas went to the air on their next drive and had some successes with their short passing game until Ron “tatu” Mason picked off the pass and scampered down the sideline to the 1 yard line. Grugeon then took it in for his second Touch Down from 2 carries.

The 1st quarter ended with Rich Westwood recovering a Pumas fumble and this time Dada sprinted in from 45 yards.

At the start of the second Quarter the Head Coach for Maidstone seemed to be unhappy with the physicality of the Falcons and called a conference with the officials and threatened to pull his team off the field. This would suggest that it was a bad-tempered game but this far from the truth as on the field both teams played hard in very difficult conditions. However this broke up the 2nd quarter and it became a bit of a flag-fest, which meant the quarter remained scoreless. The highlights were 2 Touch Downs for the Falcons being called back and a blocked Field Goal which the Pumas nearly returned for 6 but for an excellent tackle from new kicker Ben Longland who hit 4 of 5 extra points.

The second half saw the Falcons back on track with more surging running from Dada and Grugeon. Grugeon ended the game with 112 yards and 2 Touch Downs. But this time the Full backs Kersey and Jagger got in on the action firstly a 20 yard pass from Thompson to Kersey who then finished the drive off on the next play with an 18 yard run for a Touch Down. Then Grugeon took the ball down to the 5 and Jagger powered in for his second Touch Down of the year.

The Pumas started to move the ball better in the 2nd half with short passing and outside running from their speedy halfback, they started knocking on the Falcons End zone but some good Defence managed to end the drives and with the Falcons losing their two starting middle linebackers with minor knocks their replacements stepped up. Rookie Dave Smith making some crucial tackles, Nick Surface added 2 more interceptions.

The 4th quarter saw the Pumas get on the score board their Tail Back breaking 5 tackles to sprint in from 40 yards out with some blistering pace. If the Pumas keep improving as they did in the game it will see them pick up some wins come the end of the season.

Timi Dada going into the latter part of the game need 11 yards for his first 200 yard game. With the Offence on their own 42 yard line Dada used his explosive speed to sprint in for his second Touch Down of the day and end up with stats of 10 carries for 247 yards and 2 Touch Downs and then was promptly benched by coach Hopewell. If you consider Dada must have had another 100 yards of rushing brought back for penalties it goes to show what a great performance it was.

To close the game out the Thompson went to the air and hit Pete Davis and Ben Marshall Williams for good games and finished the game off with a 5 yard Touch Down pass to Tight End, Pete Davis.

This result saw the Falcons hit the top of the Central Conference with a 3 – 1 record tied with Staffordshire Surge who are their next opponents on the 21st June away and this will be a stiff test and a win is vital if they wish to stay at the top.

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Falcons take to the air

On a beautiful day at Leicester Forest RFC and with a good crowd due to it also being the clubs president’s day, we saw the 1-1 Leicester Falcons taking on the 1-2 Berkshire Renegades. Falcons, fresh from a good result but poor performance against Lincolnshire, needed a win to keep them in the Central conference title race.

The Falcons received the opening kick off and speedster Chris Rodrigo sprinted clean through the centre of the big Falcons blocking for the perfect start, a 73 yard Touch Down return only to see it called back, for an odd penalty, 12 men on the field, in the excitement Coach Hopewell strayed onto the sideline cheering his player along. However this did not deter Rodrigo, who repeated, but this time from 78 yards to give the Falcons a 6-0 lead.

The Renegades moved the ball well on their opening drive but stalled and punted the ball away and pinned the Falcons back inside their 20. With Brad Thompson at Quarter Back for the second week running, the Falcons marched down the field with a 17 play 70 yard drive to inside the Renegade's 5. But this week saw, not just the Falcons trade mark power running game, but the emergence of a passing game with a series of short passes to Ben Marshall Williams and Glenn Herring and the usual strong running of crash and dash Grugeon and Dada. However a number of holding penalties disrupted the flow of this drive and on 4th down Stef Brooks came in to slot over an 18 yard field goal to take the lead to 9-0.

The second quarter continued in similar fashion with the Falcons driving consistently up the field. This time it was ended, as the Falcons threatened, with Chris Hollands interception of a wayward pass by Thompson. However, the Falcons Defence were quick to react and Phil Rudkin pounced on a fumbled handoff and the Falcons took over on the 34. Rudkin who was named Defensive MVP ended the day with 10 tackles, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery. The Falcons wasted no time at all and Dada broke loose and took the Green Machine down to the 1 yard line and Brad Thompson took it in himself behind his big Offensive line.

On the Renegades next drive they had more success with some excellent running by their stand out back Ian Lakin and some crisp passing from Quarter Back Waddington. But with a crucial 3rd down the Renegades fumbled and were then unsuccessful with a 34 yard field goal attempt which was blocked.

This time Thompson went downfield to Marshall and connected on a 58 yard bomb, Thompson must have briefed his backs and receivers well as Marshall went down at the 3 and Thompson again took it in himself to end the half with a convincing 22-0 lead.

The Renegades started the second half brightly and with a new game plan, the Falcons swarming Defence had made it difficult to run so they came out in a spread formation and went to the air which brought them some success with the combination of Waddington to Pearce working a number of times to again move the Renegades into the redzone but some good pass defending by corner Ron Mason and penalties forced the Renegades to punt and pin the Falcons inside the 5. However they were soon out of danger with Tight End Ben Longland taking them to halfway on a 45 yard gain. From here the Falcons moved with ease down the field behind the running of Grugeon and passing of Thompson. The drive was finished off by Timi Dada who went in from 22 yards out to put the game safe at 29-0 with Brooks extra point.

With the Falcons 4 scores up Coach Hopewell rotated his players and this saw the end of Brad Thompson’s day, The rookie Quarter Back was much more assured compared to his opening 2 games where he looked nervous and jittery and led his Offence well and ended the day with 2 Touch Downs and 100 yards passing. He will only keep improving which bodes well for the future.

Rob Wylie stepped in to replace Thompson at Quarter Back, following the Defence shutting down Berkshire's attack with great tackling by the likes of Stansfield, Sturgess and Maisuria.

Wylie following a big sack on him on his first play connected with Marshall who made an excellent grab and then broke 3 tackles to sprint away for a 63 yard Touch Down, his first for the Falcons. Ben Marshall Williams ended his first full game for the Falcons with 5 receptions for 134 yards and 2 special teams tackles as well as some crunching blocks which earned him the Team MVP.

The 4th quarter saw both teams trade interceptions. Steve Fox intercepting Wyllie’s pass intended for Tom Gilbert and then Nick Surface picked off Waddingtons pass to end another promising Berkshire drive.

The game was ended by another stunning run by Timi Dada who burst through the line and accelerated past 5 defenders for a deserved 71 yard score, and with the failed conversion ended the game 41-0.

Timi was awarded the Offensive MVP for the second time this season and ended the day with 162 yards off 10 carries and 2 Touch Downs

This was exactly the performance the Falcons needed following the performance against the Bombers and saw them amass close to 500 yards of Offense and more importantly the first shut out of the year by a defence that is tacking in numbers.

Coach Hopewell has said “the difference was we executed this week, we have always had a strong running game which teams know about but with the improving passing game this gives us a much more balanced offence”

The Falcons next game is away to Maidstone Pumas and this should also see the return of last years leading running back Rich Davis who has been out for 6 weeks with injury

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Falcons win, but a game of missed chances

The Falcons won their first home game of the season 46 – 6 against the Lincolnshire Bombers giving them a 1 – 1 record in the Central Conference of BAFL division 2. This result was the highest score that the Falcons have posted in their short tenure in the BAFL. However at the end of the game the coaches and players were seen to be disappointed with the result. Lincolnshire coming into the game had played 2 lost 2 not scored and conceded 156 points. Losing 95-0 and 61-0 against conference rivals Shropshire and Staffordshire.

The Falcons started well keeping to their solid running game this week with Lawrence Grugeon in for Davis and Chris Jagger in for Kersey. The change did not alter the potency of their running game as they marched down field for the Grugeon to take it into the endzone for the opening touch down. Grugeon ended the day with his first 100+ yard game and 2 touch downs ending with stats of 110 yards from 16 carries and 2 touch downs.

Timi Dada ran in for the second touch down but only made a limited appearance following his ankle sprain 2 weeks previous. Brad Thompson started his first game at quarter back and, although was not spectacular with his passing, did well scrambling with the ball with a couple of good runs, one from 3 yards out for a touch down.

Rookie full back Chris Jagger topped off a great performance (5 carries for 51 yards) which earned him the Most Valuable Player award, with his first touch down running in from 6 yards out.

The Falcons Defence also weighed in with 2 touch downs one a 51 yard interception return and for the second Bernie Hackshaw recovered a punt that he blocked in the endzone. Ian Sturgess also scored when he was credited for the safety when the Falcons Defence swarmed through and sacked the Bombers quarter back in the endzone.

Late on in the 4th quarter the Bombers managed to score their first touch down of the year with Ian Askew running in from 10 yards out but this was the only blip in what was a excellent performance by the Falcons Defence.

Although this seems like a convincing display, Coach Hopewell was not happy with his offence who gave up possession too many times, turning the ball over 6 times, 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions - a potential 36 points lost. In fact the Bombers Defense didn’t stop the Falcons once; it was only the Falcons errors that ended the drives.

Giving the ball up so many times in this game was only costly in terms of points total and never threatened the result, but such a performance against better opposition will be the difference between a play off spot or not.

The Falcons don’t have much time to rectify these errors with the next game this weekend at home against unknown quantity the Berkshire Renegades.

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Falcons need to bounce back

Following their narrow defeat in the opening game against the London Olympians where the Falcons lost by a solitary point, the team has had a couple of weeks off to improve ahead of their week 2 clash against local rivals, the Lincolnshire Bombers. Their first home game of the season.

The Falcons have made some changes in the coaching line up and OC Colin Brannagh has stepped down to be replaced by Johnny Hopewell. Johnny has brought in Wide Receiver Coach, John Price, to improve the Falcons aerial attack which was lacking against the Olympians and saw them only gain 15 yards through the air.

There have also been a some changes in personnel with Pete Davis moving from Tight End to QB, a position where he has some experience. Pete was a back up at the now British Champions, Coventry Jets. GM Guy Kersey has brought in new recruit, Ben Marshall Williams, to bolster the receiving core. On Defense, the Linebacker crew which was depleted against the Olympians will be glad to see the return of Matt Williams and Phil “Machine” Stansfield.

The Bombers have not had a good start to the season losing heavily in their first 2 games, 95-0 against Shropshire Revolution and 61-0 against Staffordshire Surge. But the Falcons will not be taking this lightly.
GM Kersey said “ Lincoln have not had a great start but we all know how dangerous a wounded animal can be, so we will be focussed for this weeks challenge and are keen to record our first win of the season”

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Falcons v London Olympians

The Falcons kicked off their season with a tough game away against the former British Champions, London Olympians, at Crystal Palace. As predicted, the game was incredibly close with the Falcons losing out by 1 point 14-13.

The Falcons started brightly and, on their opening drive, moved the ball down the length of the field behind the running of Lawrence Grugeon and Guy Kersey. This drive stalled on the 5 yard line and Stefan Brooks slotted home a field goal to put the Falcons ahead by 3 – 0.

This saw the Olympians potent passing offence take to the field and they moved the ball down the field with a number of short passes, until they scored on a short out-pass to the left which saw the Olympians take the lead 6 – 3 although they then failed to get their extra point.

The next drive for the Falcons saw them continue with their trademark power running game and achieve big gains with Rich Davis and game Most Valuable Player Timi Dada. Although the Falcons moved inside the Red zone on a number of occasions in the first half they failed to convert this excellent field position and possession into Touch Downs.

The first half ended with the Olympians moving the ball downfield through the air with a number of short passes until they eventually scored in the opposite corner to their first one. Again their extra point was unsuccessful with a high snap but the holder did a good job of gathering the ball in and firing a pass into the corner of the endzone for the 2 points, this would be vital to the Olympians later in the game and gave them a lead at halftime 14 – 3.

In the second half the Falcons defence stepped up to shut the Olympians down and, although they held onto the ball for most of the 3rd quarter, the Falcons Defence held strong, kept the Olympians out, and eventually turned the ball over on the 10 yard line.

Going into the 4th quarter the Falcons, still down by 11, drove the ball down the field and caught a couple of breaks with the Olympians Defence giving up a number of personal fouls. Rich Davis was making tough yards to keep the drive alive and Timi Dada made a crucial 3rd down conversion to put the ball inside the 10 and eventually the Falcons powered it into the endzone with Rich Davis for the Touch Down. Timi Dada ran through the middle of the line for the 2 point conversion to take the score to 14 – 11.

The Defence held strong again with some stand out performances from Kalpesh Maisuria, Nick Surface and, once again, from Phil Rudkin. They forced the Olympians to punt with 6 minutes remaining. Although Quarter Back, Brad Thompson, attempted to pass he didn’t get much change out of the Olympians Defensive Back crew and nearly intercepted the ball. But again the Olympians poor discipline cost them giving up crucial penalties to keep the Falcons moving. With Timi Dada out of the game with a sprained ankle Rich Davis carried the load, carrying the ball inside the 5 yard line. Then, on a crucial 3rd and goal play, Rich Davis went down injured. Presenting a 4th and goal from the 4yard line a field goal would tie the game giving the Olympians the ball with 2 ½ minutes remaining. Lawrence Grugeon checked into the backfield. Coach Hopewell went for it all and decided to go for the win. Grugeon took the ball and drive forward and was tackled 1 yard short.

The Olympians, thinking the game was won and all they needed to do was run the clock out, went to the pass and the Falcons Defence line smashed holes in their Offence line allowing Phil Rudkin to shoot through and sack the Quarter Back for a safety to bring the Falcons within 1 point and with possession and a minute to go. Thompson was unable to move the ball and with no time left the Falcons attempted a 55 yard Field Goal which sadly fell short.

Although the defeat was disappointing for the Falcons the team showed they had improved from last year and the strength they showed to pull back and nearly snatch victory bodes well for the rest of the season.

The Falcons continue their season on May 3rd at home against local rival Lincolnshire Bombers at Leicester Forest Rugby club, K.O 2:30pm

For pictures of the match click here

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Falcon’s tough start

After an encouraging pre-season and some excellent recruiting, the long wait is over and the Leicester Falcons start their 2009 campaign, and it couldn’t come with a tougher test against the former 9 time British Champion London Olympians. The game takes place at the Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium on the 12th April 2:30pm

The Falcons pre-season was a mix of results losing 45-7 against Peterborough Saxons of division 1 and then hitting back with a 38-0 win over the division 2 rivals Milton Keynes Pathfinders. However the Olympians will be a much tougher test of whether the Falcons have what it takes to mount a challenge on the Division 2 title. The Os dropped out of the league in 2008 and spent a year as an associate member out of league competition while they rebuilt. They are a young team and will be keen to show they have the quality to support the weight their name carries.

The Falcons will hope that Nick Surface repeats his debut form when he had 4 interceptions and a touchdown. Running backs Rich Davis and Timi Dada, who both impressed pre-season will be fighting it out for that starting spot. But the unsung hero’s of the Team are the offensive linemen and in this area the Falcons have recruited well with 3 monsters Mark Mabbott, Dan Knight and Rich Swain, all in excess of 6ft 7in and 300lbs. They will be using their weight to bully the Os and punch holes for the Falcons dynamic running attack.

Dan Knight & Mark Mabbott

The Falcons Defence lead by veterans Phil Rudkin, Bernie Hackshaw and Saul Freer will be looking to shut down talented Olympians Quarter Back. Nick Canning. and his quick fire pass attack.

All in all an exciting contest awaits but there will never be a better time for the “Green Machine” to take such a prestigious scalp

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Falcons new addition

With the season only a couple of weeks away the Falcons have a new member to their Family. Head coach, Lester Hopewell, and his wife Marie have just had their first baby. Baby Solomon was born on Monday 30th March 2009 weighing in at 8lbs 2oz.

Both Mother and baby are doing well and are healthy and happy, and now back at home. I know that I and the rest of the Falcons would like to pass on our congratulations to the Hopewell’s and look forward to meeting Baby Solomon soon.

We would also like to thank Marie for delivering the baby 3 weeks early in order to miss the start of the season.

Once again Congratulations

Lester Hopewell watches the Falcons in action

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Falcons v MK Pathfinders

The Falcons ended their pre-season preparations with an emphatic victory against fellow division 2 team the Milton Keynes Pathfinders, on a cold and windy Mothers Day afternoon the Falcons finished the game victors 38 – 0.

The highlight of the day had to be an incredible debut by new signing safety Nick Surface. Nick who had been absent from football for 5 years only joined the Falcons on the prior Tuesday, impressed in training and managed to get a place in the squad for the weekend. Nick wasted no time to make his mark and managed to pick the ball off on his first drive. This was the first of 4 interceptions, saving the best for last. Grabbing the ball out of the air and scampering 40 yards down the far sideline for a touchdown, this capped a outstanding performance by the Falcons Defence which shut the MK side out and limited them to very little offence allowing only 6 yards of offence in the first half.

On the Offence, the Falcons kept improving and with a number of absences especially on the Offence line, there were a number of errors made but they still continued to impress, especially with their running game. Rich Davis, last year's Most Valuable Player carried on where he left off with 99 yards rushing and 2 Touch Downs. However the difference to last year is that Davis no longer has to carry the work load on his own. The Falcons have recruited well and now have great depth in the backfield with a stand out performance by Timi Dada who impressed with 72 yards and 2 Touch Downs. Playing against his old club Timi has brought another dimension to the running attack. It is also worth mentioning rookie Adrian Leitau and former Britbowl winner Lawrence Grugeon who both had several good runs.

Gareth Davis started and impressed with a number of completions, picking out Tight End Pete Davis and culminating in a pass to Falcon stalwart Stuart Holding from 10 yards out for a Touch Down.

This result with give the Falcons a boost ahead of their season opener against the former 9 time British campaigns the London Olympians on April 12th. However they will need to improve in some areas if they want to make a challenge on the championship this season, but with coach Hopewell at the helm there is no doubt the hard work will be put in.

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Falcons set for Action

LEICESTER FALCONS' build-up to their second season in the British American Football League gathers pace with a pro-season match on Sunday. The Falcons host the Peterborough Saxons at Leicester Forest RFC a month ahead of their Division Two opener when they travel to face the London Olympians.

The Leicester club finished their first season in the Central Conference with three wins and a couple of ties from their 10 matches, a steady step on to the BAFL scene. However, with those foundations laid, they will be looking to press their championship claims this season.

To assist their title challenge, they have signed a sponsorship deal with David Lloyd Leisure. The Falcons players have been using the club's facilities at Meridian Business Park during the off-season for programmes introduced by head coach Lester Hopewell.

The Saxons will give the Falcons a thorough pre-season test. Last year they finished second in the East Conference. Kick-off at Leicester Forest is 2.3Opm.

Leicester Mercury, 13th March, 2009

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Falcons Confirm New Sponsor

The Leicester Falcons are very proud to announce they have signed another key sponsor for the 2009 season Walkabout Leicester have re-signed for a second season supporting the Falcons. Last year the Walkabout hosted many memorable nights in 2008. The Bar famous for being a great place to watch sport enjoy the extensive selection on the menu and generous drinks offers, was the host of the Falcons post game entertainment.

Walkabout have increased their commitment from 2008 and this is following the great attendance at key events such as MVP night, superbowl party. And with the great improvements that the Falcons have made over the off season they will hope the Falcons will be celebrating some more victories in 2009. Guy Kersey Falcons GM said “It’s a great to have a second year of sponsorship from the Walkabout, especially in these tough financial times to more than double their sponsorship in incredible. The Walkabout were tremendous hosts last year and having such a welcoming venue is a great boost and builds a tighter team bond which is essential. Neil Pipe the manager of Walkabout Leicester has been very generous over the last year and we hope to repay his support with a successful 2009 BAFL Division 2 campaign“.

The Falcons will be displaying the Walkabout logo on their new Hijak Baselayer clothing.

To visit the Walkabout website (click here)

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Falcons Confirm New Sponsor

The Leicester Falcons are very proud to announce they have signed another key sponsor for the 2009 season
The Falcons have been working over a number of weeks with Hijak Baselayer to develop their own range of baselayer that they will be sporting under their Green uniforms. Hijak Baselayer's Managing Director Scott Clifford who was bought up in Leicestershire believes the Leicester Falcons are a great club to get involved with as a sponsor and supporter, as they have the aspirations and capability to progress into a top Premiership club.

''We are a new company competing against large established brands, and expect to make a huge impact in the market place ruffling a few feathers in the process. Hijak have a winning combination - a fantastic product, one of the Uk's Best young designers and a great team motivated to establish the brand as the most cutting edge name on the street. American Football is all about image and presence which lends itself to the Hijak brand. Hijak Baselayers urban styling and bespoke design service offers something special.'' See the website www.hijakbaselayer.com to see the impressive range.

Hijak are working closely with the Falcons General Manager Guy Kersey in designing a great selection of team clothing to sit alongside the striking baselayer, all of which are great purchases for Falcons fans and any supporters of fashion in itself. Hijak are always willing to talk to Clubs, schools and University teams in developing their own designs so call them on 01476 560720 to find out more.

Guy Kersey Falcons GM said “ Hijak are a new and exciting company with a unique product and we have been very excited about being the first team to in the BAFL to be wearing the Hijak Baselayer as part of the uniform we have designed the baselayer to fit in with the brotherhood mentality that we have at the Falcons. It also gives us another opportunity for sponsor exposure. Which we have filled with the Walkabout logo, who have signed up to sponsor us for a second season “

To visit the Hijack Baselayer website (click here)

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Falcons Appoint Saul Freer as new D.C.

With 2008 coming to a close the Leicester Falcons have managed to end the year by filling the position of Defensive Coordinator with was made vacant when Andy Perry stepped down from the position last month.
Although the falcons received a number of applicants Coach Hopewell has decided to appoint from within, and the new DC is former defensive line coach SAUL FREER.

Saul was the defensive line coach for the Falcons last year and brings a wealth of playing experience from a long and very successful career in BritBall with teams including the Leicester Panthers, Leicester Huntsmen, Coventry Jets and GB Lions. During his time at the Jets Saul played along Head Coach Lester Hopewell and know exactly what is expected of him from the tough leader of the Falcons

Saul will also have the help of Karl Burgess as his assistant DC who joined the Falcons towards the end of the 2008 campaign as Defensive Backs Coach. Guy Kersey Falcons Chairman said “it is always pleasing to be able to have the strength in depth in any organisation to be able to promote from within and I have known Saul for many years and know he will do an outstanding job of running the Falcons D, Andy Perry left some pretty big shoes to fill but I am sure Saul will be up to the task ”.

Lester Hopewell Falcons Head Coach said, ‘’I am very pleased to be joined by a fellow student of the game. I have played alongside Saul, coached him and coached with him, I cannot wait to see his work ethic imposed on our defensive personnel. Coach Freer’s acceptance of the DC role will strengthen our resolve against our divisional opponents".

Saul Freer had this to say, "The Falcons have shown great tenacity and belief through the 2008 season. The defence proved a valuable asset and Andy has set a good standard. I'm looking forward to the challenge next year as their new DC".

The Falcons will be training at “the dome” from 4th January until the end of March, Sundays at 2:30pm, all are welcome to come down and have Coach Hopewell’s staff put you through your paces, both experienced and rookies.

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