Claymores Slay the Dragons and Claim Historic Victory
FC Barcelona Dragons 24 Scottish Claymores 27The Scottish Claymores ended their NFL Europe League campaign on a high with their first ever win at FC Barcelona Dragons.
 Lawrence Tynes kicks the field goal that give the Claymores their first ever win in Catalonia |
The Claymores bagged three touchdowns, two from Whisper Goodman and one from Stevan Fontana, and Lawrence Tynes hit two field goals, including a 38-yard effort in the final quarter that was to prove crucial.
The game was also a triumph for quarterback James Brown, who moved the ball freely and linked frequently with his receivers which, combined with Goodman’s rushing threat, gave the Claymores crucial yardage to win the game and finish the season 5-5.
The Dragons end the campaign with a disappointing 2-8 record, but they helped serve up a thriller in the sun as both sides traded points almost at will in a game that was not settled until the final 40 seconds when james Rooths picked off a pass to give Claymores possession as the Dragons went all out for the touchdown that would have given them the game.
Lawrence Tynes kicked off for Scotland and the ball was returned to the 24, but sturdy Claymores defense forced the Dragons to punt after their first series.
JJ Moses signalled a fair catch on the Claymores --, allowing the offense to go to work in the first quarter for the first time this season under the guidance of James Brown.
 Herbert Goodman runs into the endzone untouched for one of his two touchdowns on the day |
Whisper Goodman, clearly keen to finish the season as top rusher, brought up a couple of first downs on the ground, but Brown also connected on the pass with receivers Scott McCready and Kwame Cavil, both for 16 yards.
Goodman then rushed the Claymores into first and goal and completed the drive he had started by rushing into the end zone from one yard, with Rob Hart’s PAT good to give the Claymores a 7-0 lead.
However, the Dragons responded on their very next drive to level the scores by the end of the first quarter.
Quarterback Ted White took his side into the Scotland red zone in seven plays before picking out receiver Dane Flowers from 19 yards in the end zone, with Jesus Angoy adding the PAT to level the scores.
Yubrenal Isabelle returned the resultant kick-off to the Claymores 42 - and the offense made full use of their field position as they successfully launched their bid to get back in front.
Brown, on the 39 yard line, picked out McKenzie in the middle and he pulled in the pass before scampering to the Dragons’ one-yard line.
Goodman tried unsuccessfully to rush the ball into the end zone on the next play, but the touchdown was delayed only moments as Brown stepped back to connect with tight end Stevan Fontana from two yards, with Hart’s kicking the etxra point.
There may have been nothing to play for in terms of the World Bowl, but both sides were certainly serving up brilliant entertainment for the noisy crowd in the Estadi Olimpic, including a couple of dozen visiting supporters who were lapping up the sun, the sight of which has been so rare in Scotland recently.
 Stevan Fontana celebrates his second touchdown catch of the season against the Dragons |
Cornerback James Rooths tried to desperately to haul him to the ground, but Flowers wriggled free to the end zone for a mighty score, with Angoy levelling at 14-14 with the PAT – and there was still half of the second quarter remaining.
However, Scotland were to have the last word as the second quarter drew to a close when they took the lead for the third time in the game – and again it was Goodman, given outstanding protection by the O-Line, who grabbed the touchdown.
Passer Brown, playing with so much confidence, connected with McCready and Cavil again for big gains as Scotland took the ball to first and goal with less than a minute remaining.
From six yards he again passed the ball off to Whisper and the O-Line parted the Dragons defense, allowing the running back to dart into the end zone for his second touchdown, with Hart’s PAT again good to give the Claymores a 21-14 half-time lead.
Unsurprisingly, it proved impossible to match the explosive start to the game when the Dragons kicked off for the start of the second half, with the shadows covering the far touchline at long last offering the Claymores bench some protection from the sun.
The initial exchanges were scrappy as both sides swapped punts, though the Dragons hauled themselves closer to the Claymores with a 32-yard Angoy field goal that made the score 21-17.
However, where they were trading touchdowns in the first half, now it was field goals – the Claymores responded early in the fourth quarter with a 45-yard effort from kicker Lawrence Tynes that split the posts.
 James Brown evades the Barcelona pass rush |
The Dragons advanced to first and goal but as they tried to find their way into the end zone they found their path blocked once, twice, three times by a wall of white shirts.
Dragons coach Jack Bicknell passed up the opportunity to put three points on the board with a field goal by gambling fourth and short, and it paid off when Ted White stepped back and connected with tight end Ben Zagorski in the end zone from three yards.
The Claymores tried hard to respond, but their touchdown chances were thwarted on the fringes of the Dragons’ red zone, though Lawrence Tynes kicked a crucial 38-yard field goal to give the Claymores a slender lead with less than two minutes remaining.
However, the Claymores did themselves no favours when they allowed Derek Homer to return the ball to their 48-yard line, yet suddenly the Dragons began to lose their nerve.
Firstly, they were forced to recover a fumble, then Ted White was hounded out the pocket and sacked by Jarrett Procell.
White decided to go long in an all or nothing effort, but his pass for Carlos Rosado was picked off by James Rooths.
And with only 40 seconds remaining Brown twice dropped to his knee to record a memorable victory.
16 Jun, 02 | 7:54 am