Considering how many players the Novi Sad Dukes missed and although they were still the conference leader before the game they weren’t the easy pick to win. Yet, their team of backups on offense scored 34 points against the Austrian team, more than enough for a 34-21 win.
Čaba Juhas’ replacement at quarterback and receiver for most of the year,Rastko Jokić ran all day on the Gladiators, including for three touchdowns while also passing for one. It was the team’s defense that had more problems getting off the field, as the Dukes scored three times on long touchdown runs. To the defense’s credit, they intercepted four passes of the opposing team.
After a scoreless first quarter, Martin Bauer got the Gladiators up by one touchdown with a touchdown run from inside the five yard line. Jokić responded with a run of his own, though this one was a little bit longer, as he ran almost the length of the field to tie the game up. Still, the Gladiators went into halftime leading after Bernhard Kamber hooked up with Hannes Kamber once more this season, this time for a four yard touchdown.
In the second half the home team outscored their opponent by three touchdowns, scoring four compared to just one of the Gladiators. Jokić hit Boris Kuzmanović for his first career passing touchdown and soon after, another backup, running back Marko Mareš gave his team their first lead. The Gladiators tied the game up for one final time on a 43 yard pass to Manuel Houtz, before Jokić scored for the Dukes again in the third quarter for a six point lead, and again just before the game was over to secure the win.
Having already reached the playoffs, the Dukes were by no means in panic mode before the game, but the win is important for them; not just as a moral boost, but also to show the other teams they’re not done yet. As for the Gladiators, this SELAF season is bordering on disastrous for them, with just one win and four losses. If they struggle in their last two games, against last place in both conferences, we may end up witnessing the biggest surprise of 2007.