Head-Rapson: Dreadnoughts not good enough against Renegades

LUKE HEAD-RAPSON admitted Portsmouth Dreadnoughts were not good enough in their first defeat of the season at Berkshire Renegades.
Quarterback Stu Rees. Picture: Chris CoopeQuarterback Stu Rees. Picture: Chris Coope
Quarterback Stu Rees. Picture: Chris Coope

Despite John Cowen’s early touchdown, the Dreadnoughts lost 27-6.

Head coach Head-Rapson insisted his side played well in the first half.

But he felt the Renegades were the better team on the day.

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Head-Rapson said: ‘We played a very good first half of football.

‘But we fell to pieces. We had injuries and inconsistencies and we didn’t execute the game the way we should have done.

‘They were the better team – no excuses.

‘Berkshire did what I expected them to do with formations, but they surprised me by going so up-tempo and caught our defence off guard several times.’

The Dreadnoughts got off to a dream start after an interception from defensive-back Adam Cleaver put them within Renegades territory.

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On the next play, quarterback Stu Rees threw a 40-yard pass to Cowen, who put the ball into the endzone and gave the visitors the lead.

They could not add the extra two points and the quarter finished 6-0.

Shortly into the second quarter, an interception from the Renegades put them in a dangerous scoring position.

Their offence ran the ball into the endzone from within 10 yards to level things up.

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They converted the kick for an extra point and went into half-time with a 7-6 lead.

After the break, a poor punt by the Dreadnoughts saw the ball go out on their own 10-yard line.

The Renegades took full advantage, ran the ball into the endzone and kicked home two extra points.

In the final quarter, the hosts pulled further ahead.

A long pass by the Renegades’ quarterback found a team-mate in the endzone to go 21-6 ahead.

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The hosts rounded off the game with another touchdown after running the ball in from five yards out.

Head-Rapson is hoping for a better Dreadnoughts display against Maidstone Pumas on Sunday at Hooks Lane (2.30pm).

​H​e added: ‘I expect people to want to get back to winning and not dwell on the loss.

‘It’s a game the Pumas believe they can win – we have to show them they are wrong.’

– ELLIE PILMOOR