Strong performance by the Glads in Bratislava
The CNC Gladiators have remained unbeaten on the field, even after an intense game against the physically superior Bratislava. The Austrians won, at the end clearly and almost effortlessly.
The time had come to take the rust off of the machines, after the long summer break in the CEFL. They were missing additions from the Black Lions Linern Bernd Leitsoni and Matthias Schicher, also the receivers Joe Widner and Rene Muhr, and running back Martin Bauer did not make it to Slovakia.
For Widner, Hannes Kamber jumped in, junior Stefan Probst, who led the Glads in the relegation win the Vienna Knights with four touchdowns to, got the majority of carries — played well again — but ended the game without a trip to the end zone. Talking about the Vienna Knights, their former head coach Christoph Dreyer is now with the Gladiators. Also included were the two new players from Canada in the backfield — Peter De Gouw and Bob Reist.
In the first half the Austrians defense was still flawless, until the Monarchs tight end Anton Karpat gave them some trouble with his superb catches late in the game. But the damage was done before.
After no score in the first quarter, the Gladiators took a comfortable lead into the second half, with a touchdown and a field goal by Manuel Houtz, like a catch by Hannes Kamber to pass from his brother Bernhard Kamber revealed a total of 17 unanswered points to halftime.
It took the Monarchs far too long, until the final quarter, before they scored the first time. Matej Gašperan ran from a short distance to the 6:17, as the following conversion-run failed.
The case was closed when quarterback Bernhard Kamber finished the next drive with a run in the Endzone for the 6:24 lead.
The Monarchs had another late touchdown, but after a recovered onside kick attempt by the Gladiators, Manuel Houtz put the final score at 12:27 with a 44 yard field goal with just seconds remaining on the clock.