After two very close league games and a preseason game that could have gone either way, this game for the right to represent the Southern Conference looked as if it should be tight. Surprisingly the Cardinals won this with plenty to spare.

Bath took the lead on their second drive on the game. Tom Jenkins brought a punt return out to the Cardinals forty and the away side moved the ball downfield with a balanced offense leaving it to Tom Evans to finish off the drive with a three-yard blast. Mark Hibberd latched onto the two point extra pass to move the Cardinals out to 8 – 0.

On their next drive the Cardinals started on Bristol’s forty-one yard line. Henry Allen teamed up with Tom Evans to score on the initial play when the latter collected the quarterback’s pass and raced home for back-to-back scores. The attempted 2-point conversation was unsuccessful but the damage had already been done to the shell shocked Aztecs who found themselves trailing 14 – 0 by the end of the first.

Allen found Evans once more for a forty-nine yard score in the second only for the score to be called back for an illegal block. However the respite was short lived as Christ Taylor outpaced a flagging Bristol defense from forty-one yards out to extend the visitors lead to 20 – 0 by the half.

The expected Aztecs revival never arrived in the third as the Cardinals remained in control of the game, stifling any attempts from their rivals to get back into it with some resolute defense. The fourth period followed the pattern of the third with the Bath defense assuming the upper hand. With another fine balanced offense the Cardinals worked their way over the halfway line before Taylor unleashed a blistering forty-seven yard dash to the final score of the afternoon.

Ironically the Cardinals won their conference last year in what was their first season and failed at the play off stage. New boys Bristol have emulated their near neighbours this year. The Aztecs should reflect on a remarkably successful first campaign while the Cardinals will now go on to the BYAFA Championship game to clash with the representatives of the Northern Conference.