The Pre-Game Game: Edinburgh Predators at Napier Knights

Meggetland lit up in the evening.

This is the first British University game I've ever attended in any capacity. I had no idea whether either team would be any good, and was admittedly apprehensive about whether the game would be enjoyable. The first thing I noticed was the impressive turn out.

When I say "impressive turn out" I'm very much referring to the equivalence of my expectations. Having been to watch the Edinburgh Wolves senior team (our amateur outfit), I wasn't expecting anything near the 400-500 I've seen at those games. Combining that with the competition of having the game on at the same time as the Ireland vs Scotland rugby match, I could be forgiven for expecting 100 people there to cheer on their friends/classmates.

The last thing I expected was the excellent sight that greeted me. More than 200 people were already in the stadium by the time we arrived, half an hour before kick-off. By kick-off the main stand was mostly filled, which is much more than I had expected, and is a great testament to the support of the sport in our country as it continues to grow.

Edinburgh Predators 9 - 0 Napier Knights

After a brief spot from the Brass Band, we got into the game. The ball was exchanged very frequently early, but as the first quarter edged on, the Knights started to look alive with the ball in hand. They were running option plays and sweeps to great effect, especially in the hands of their tailback, #3 Jamie Welsh. It soon became apparent that they didn't have much else in their arsenal, and as the first half continued the Predators started to shut down the Knights run game. This left them forcing passes, something which both teams struggled with.

Baldwin receiving the snap as the Predators score their TD

It took a long while before a pass to a receiver was caught. Mostly they were under thrown, inaccurate or rushed. Looking on from the sidelines it became clear that neither quarterback could make the long throws that they were trying. I don't want to step in on this and say their play calling was shoddy, but quick timing routes would have been much more effective than most of what was on display. That being said, both teams picked up some good yardage passing the ball as the game went on.

The first and only offensive score came from the Predators, who were working with a short field (after a Knights punt) in the third quarter. A combination of runs from Jack Bayram and Kevin Calvey helped them down to the 1 yard line, where the touchdown was inevitable. The Predators put up the first points and never looked back.

The only other score of the game came on a sloppy play from the Knights. After being pushed back onto their own one yard line, they looked to punt on fourth down only for the play to end in a safety. After that score, and even before it, the Knights had trouble moving the ball due to some excellent run defense from the Predators. As the game wound down in the fourth quarter there was no apparent danger of either team  putting together a strong drive to ignite the game, and it fizzled out towards the end of the game.

Knights in formation to punt

This was definitely a positive experience, and I very much enjoyed being able to walk up to Meggetland and watch a close game of football. Execution was lacking on several fronts, but the experience was well worth it. I'm considering a trip to see the Knights host the UWS Pyros on the 22nd of this month to continue to support the game in Scotland. I hope to see you all there!