Bradford Bears set to miss out on play-offs (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford Bears set to miss out on play-offs

6:41pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in Sport By Sports Desk

Bradford Bears 0, Leeds Carnegie 7

Bradford Bears, the University of Bradford’s American football team, saw their hopes of reaching the season-ending play-offs all but die as they suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of play-off bound Leeds Carnegie in their final regular-season match.

The first half was a tight affair, with Bradford coming the closest as they got to within the opposition’s ten-yard line.

After being stopped about a yard short of a touchdown on second and third downs, the Bears elected to attempt a field goal but a fumbled snap meant the kick couldn’t be attempted and the score remained 0-0 up to half-time.

After the interval, it remained a tight but penalty-heavy affair, with both teams conceding substantial yardages for fouls.

Eventually Carnegie got a good drive going though, and, helped substantially by a questionable pass- interference penalty against Bradford, managed to just about squeeze into the end zone through a big crowd of players. They elected to kick the extra-point conversion, which was good.

Despite their best efforts, which included an attempt to go almost the entire length of the field with no time-outs and a minute remaining on their final drive, the Bears couldn’t find the end zone and lost the game 7-0.

That defeat leaves the Bears with a record of four wins and four losses from the season - statistics that almost certainly will see them miss out on post-season action when the regular season comes to an end on Sunday.

The Bears now have just one more match for definite - at Huddersfield Hawks on March 20 as part of the two university’s varsity competition.