Nottingham Scorpions/Wolverhampton Wolverines Match Reports

European Vice-Captain Booth was again the man in form

LUKE BOOTH was the stand-out player for Huddersfield Rams as they started their AFLCNE season with two gallant defeats.

They went down 47-21 to Nottingham Scorpions in their opening fixture, their goals coming from debutant Dave Durrance and Europe vice-captain Booth.

In the second match against Wolverhampton Wolverines, the Rams built up a 20-point half-time lead only to end up losing 65-49.

Again Booth was superb, leading the goal-kicking with an impressive tally of five and a personal haul of 30 points – incredible considering he went into the double-header having played for Great Britain Bulldogs against European Champions the Irish Warriors in Dublin only the day before.

The Rams were left to rue their naivety and inexperience in game management against the Wolverines.

They looked in control with Booth playing well and returning GB and European player Danny Armitage also grabbing a goal, his first after an 18-month injury lay off. And the Rams third European representative, Sam Gill, also contributed to Huddersfield’s final tally of 49 points.

However, as the wind began to impact on the play, Huddersfield became entrenched in their own half and ultimately their failure to adapt to the conditions and close out the game enabled the Wolverines to pile on the pressure in attack.

That pressure soon turned to goals and overturned the scoreline.

The fruits of the Rams’ promotion campaign showed in that Huddersfield players Steve Hall, John Piper and Durrance all made their competitive debuts.

Each did well as they put the skills and tactics of three months of Aussie Rules coaching into practice.

The Rams are at home today against Leeds Minotaurs (2pm, Laund Hill YMCA) bidding to register their first league points.