A one-handed leaping interception by safety Iain Noakes booked Domino's Oxford Saints a place in the British Senior League Division 2 play-off semi-finals as they defeated Plymouth Admirals 24-14 at Oxford RFC on Sunday.
Now they face Ipswich Cardinals on Sunday, August 26, at Oxford RFC with a place in the final at stake.
Brian Myers notched two touchdowns for Saints against Plymouth AdmiralsNoakes returned the interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and gave the Saints a ten-point cushion.
But it had been a different story earlier as Oxford, the top-ranked team in the play-offs after recording eight wins in the regular league season, found themselves trailing 14-0 after ten minutes.
In fact, Saints were behind for three-quarters of the game to a team they had beaten twice earlier in the year.
It took 24 unanswered points and two interceptions from the defense to turn the match around.
The Admirals took the lead after just two minutes, recovering an Oxford fumble at the Saints' nine-yard line for running back Chris Renshaw to score on a four-yard run. Jon Wyse kicked the extra point.
Wyse then intercepted an Oxford pass for the Devon team to extend their lead to 14-0 as running back Matt Carroll scored on a one-yard run and Wyse again converted.
In the second quarter, the Saints started to fight back and running back Brian Myers scored on a one-yard run, kicker Steve Belcher adding the extra point.
After half-time, Oxford took control. Outside linebacker Richard Davies intercepted a wayward Plymouth pass to set up an 11-yard touchdown run from Myers, which Belcher converted to make it 14-14.
In the final quarter, the Saints capped an 80-yard drive with a 24-yard field goal from Belcher to take a three-point lead, and then Noakes's spectacular interception sealed the verdict.
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