Report by David Richardson
Image by Dave Bradshaw
The Belfast Trojans kicked off the 2013 season with a 46-13 victory over the Craigavon Cowboys.
Quarterback James McKelvey threw for four touchdowns, while Alex Newton also ran for two touchdowns and defensive Captain Chris Mikhael returned an interception to the endzone.
It was the Cowboys who opened the scoring however, elusive quarterback Peter Loughran broke a string of would-be tacklers to cross for a touchdown.
That was the shot in the arm the Trojans needed, as the offence marched down the field thanks to some steady running by Newton and new boy Gary Carr.
The drive was capped off as McKelvey found Richardson in the corner of the endzone to level the scores.
The Trojans were ahead soon after following a special teams mix up from the Cowboys giving the ball back to the Belfast offence. Newton went in from 5 yards out to make it 13-6.
Newton would get his second of the game as he returned a punt return 70 yards, following another strong showing by the Belfast defence.
Colvin made a smart grab to extend the lead in the second quarter, before Mikhael jumped an out route and took the interception back for a touchdown, to all but kill the game as a contest at the half.
Substitutions disrupted the flow of the game in the second half, but McKelvey soon found Richardson again, putting a deep ball on the money for their second connection.
Following a brilliant 40-yard touchdown dash from Chris McKeown, the committed Cowboys unit also managed to find the endzone again before the final whistle, as Loughran again broke some shoddy tackling and crossed for six.