PAC LOGS PRESEASON WIN OVER OLD BLUE
THIRSTY THURSDAY NIGHT

3/17 -- Olivers, Laurel MD
3/31 -- Finn MacCools
4/14 -- Finn MacCools
4/28 -- Olivers
5/12 -- Finn MacCools

Old Blue received the opening kickoff and demonstrated their classic forwards style game plan. Keeping the ball tight and in the hands. Seemingly perfectly suited for the poor weather, the New Yorkers executed well. Setting and resetting the ball with both backs and forwards, they demonstrated great ball possession play for the first few minutes. But PAC’s defense showed remarkable resilience, bending, not breaking and occasionally forcing the Old Blue attack backward. In the early minutes Old Blue had a number of chances inside the PAC 22 meter, but each time they were denied points.

The defensive pressure from PAC actually turned the momentum of the game around. The first score of the match occurred at an Old Blue scrum inside the PAC 40 meter line. After a forced miscue at the back of the New York scrum and under pressure from PAC scrumhalf Tom Kenney, the old Blue #9 moved the ball out to his backs hoping to relieve the pressure. Poor service forced the Old Blue backs inside to link with their forwards and re-cycle. At that point, PAC flanker and former Warratah hooker Mark Crick slicky poached the ball from the loose ruck. He was able to slip down the sideline and pass inside to fellow backrower Randy Stevens. PAC hooker Brian Olmes followed in support and took the ball to the Old Blue 22 meter where he set a platform for the PAC forwards. A quick ruck and the ball was released to PAC flyhalf Mike Fabling. Fabling quickly fed crashing prop Jesse Lapierre and the balance of the red forwards followed allowing another quick recycle. Kenney served another clean ball to the ageless former Eagle Fabling. This moved through the backline to find Dave Burt crashing from the #15 slot. He slipped past the cover defense and in for the first try. (conversion - Burt, PAC 7 – Old Blue 0, 7 mins).

For the next 20 minutes Old Blue continued to dominate the possession, as they were able to keep their ball inside PAC’s half of the pitch. Old Blue were inside the PAC 22 a number of times, but unable to find paydirt against a tough PAC defense - something that has become a trademark for this team the past couple of seasons. PAC was able to string together a number of sustained attacks and turn some of that pressure around before the half. The men in red also conceded a number of penalties in their own end. But, Old Blue failed to convert on a number of kicks and remained shutout through the half.

After the break, the momentum seemed to reverse itself, Old Blue went on the defensive and PAC kept to the ball in hand for several multi-phase attacks and near misses. However, PAC did finally settle down. After not kicking a couple of close in penalties, last year's leading SuperLeague scorer Dave Burt used the foot to extend the PAC lead to 10. The game continued the same for the last 20 minutes of the match. However, solid lineout play and multi-phase possession helped PAC maintain the majority of the possession. Old Blue mounted a number of threat but final to close the deal. In the closing minutes PAC outside center David Etches slipped inside the back line of Old Blue and stole a pass that resulted in the final score of the match. (conversion missed - Burt, PAC 15 - OB 0, 76mins). Final score PAC 15 - Old Blue 0. The Captain Morgan's/Bottom Line Man of the Match was veteran scrumhalf Ton Kenney.