With the two Senior teams meeting in a scheduled fixture the two Youth sides played their corresponding fixture in a double header to open the BYAFA Youth season.

The Devils after many years out rebuilding recorded the first score of the new season early in the first quarter. Wesley Kleniex capped off their opening drive when he scampered in to give them the lead. With the conversion failing the home side had to be settle for a 6 – 0 advantage to ease their nerves. The Spartans, hoping to build on their learning season of last year strived to reply but without much success against the home side’s defense. Indeed the defense added the next points when they pinned the visitors back close to their goal line and forced them to punt. The snap sailed over the head of a despairing punter and out of the end zone, surrendering another two points to a safety and eking out the Devils slim lead to 8 – 0 by the end of the first quarter.

The Norwich defense came to the fore again during the second period with Steven Hathaway scooping up a Spartan fumble and going in for a score. With the extra two-point conversion being good the Essex side found themselves 16 – 0 in arrears. The loss of lineman Josh Wright with a bad shoulder injury did little to boost their confidence as the teams took to the sidelines at the end of the half.

Both sides struggled in the third with the Spartans determined to make a fight of it and battling enthusiastically but without generating a great deal of offense. Their hopes of a recovery were finally dashed in the final quarter when Hereward McGillivray dashed over the goal line to add a final six points and seal a well earned victory for the Devils.

As the season progresses both sides will no doubt improve. For a season opener it was full of skill enthusiasm and effort. It will be interesting to see if either, or both, can sustain a challenge for the first league title to be decided at the BAFL BritBowl weekend in September.