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5

AMERICAN FOOTBALL _ Sunday29

I The Capital Bowl VII Meadowbank Stadium Edinburgh. 1pm. The popular annual gridiron tourney features Edinburgh Phoenix v Glasgow Cyclones and Glasgow Lions v Falkirk Cougars. The first game kicks offat 1pm. withthe final scheduled for 4pm. See preview.

Glasgow

I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday, Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. There are ten races in each meeting, starting at 7.45pm. £2.

Edinburgh

I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Powderhall Stadium, Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. Each meeting includes ten races. starting at 7.30pm. £2.50 Stand; £1 .50 Ground. Race Drorzramme free with admission.

FOOTBALL Saturday 28

PREMIER LEAGUE I Celtic v Dundee United Celtic Park. Gallowgate. Glasgow. 3pm. Both sides will be looking for points towards a European place with Brady‘s team also gearing up for a Cup semi-final. I Hearts V Dunfermline Tynecastle Park. Gorgie Road, Edinburgh. 3pm. Hearts should collect another couple of points to prevent Rangers disappearing over the horizon completely.

I Motherwell v Falkirk Fir Park. Motherwell. 3pm. . I St Mirren v Hibernian Love Street. I Paisley. 3pm.

FIRST DIVISION

I Ayr V Forfar Somerset Park, Somerset Road, Ayr. 3pm.

I Dundee v Clydebank Dens Park. Sandeman Street, Dundee. 3pm. Simon Stainrod is doing his best to educate Dundee in the finer art of football. but you get the impression that the Dens Park faithful will be happier iftheir team stuck to basics and sewed up promotion.

I Hamilton v Montrose Douglas Park. Hamilton. 3pm.

I Partick Thistle v Morton Firhill, Firhill Road, Glasgow. 3pm. Thistle in the Premier League? Surely not? But they still have an outside chance ofmakingthe climb and a couple of points here could make a difference.

I Raith Rovers v MeadowbankStark‘s Park. Pratt Street. Kirkcaldy. 3pm.

I Stirling Albion v Kilmamock Annfield. Stirling. 3pm.

SECOND DIVISION

I Alloa Athletic v Oueen ot the South Recreation Park, Alloa. 3pm.

I East Stirling v Stenhousemuir Firs Park. Firs Street, Falkirk. 3pm.

I Queen’s Park V Clyde Hampden Park, Glasgow. 3pm.

Saturday 4

TENNENTS SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINAL

I Airdrle V Hearts Hampden Park ,

BOWLED OVER

Americanfootball:thetoughestsportin I \.

the world, or a game for wimps who have to protect every part of their anatomy with padding, helmet or other paraphernalia before taking the field? The latter stance seems a little harsh when one remembers that a member of the Detroit Lions was paralysed, probably for life, last season doing nothing more than his everyday job. Also, the average playing life of American football pros is a not exactly enticing, louryears.

Nevertheless, the sport continues to gain popularity in this country and Edinburgh is soon to host the eighth annual Capital Bowl at Meadowbank Stadium. Organiser Norman Sutherland has been a fan of the game since he travelled to the States in order to spread the word of ‘real’ football through a coaching post. The indoctrination attempt backfired and Sutherland returned to Britain determined to popularise the American version. However, he is a realist and acknowledges that attempts to transport the game across the Atlantic, wholesale, without amendment have fallen flat. ‘I think that the game is too long and too drawn out for Scottish fans,’ he explains. ‘The Americans are used to it because they’ve grown up

with it in that way, but to Scots used to a

football match lasting an hour and a half, sitting in a stadium and watching

C.‘ 4‘ "1 “I a. s. ~s " g I g s ,3"

\ H“ up F'J

one match lasting up to three hours is too much.’

To counteract this, the Capital Bowl games (two semis and a final on one day) will feature a running clock. Normally, in American football, the clock stops every time the ball goes out of play, a pass is incomplete, or a team calls a time-out. Not so here, and Sutherland claims that it makes for a very different game. ‘lt’s a lot quicker, has many more mistakes and is much more exciting,’ he says. ‘Also, the spectators know that a game is going to finish after an hour, they know that it cannot go on forever.’

Sounds like a recipe for success. Now, if we could just get them to stop wearing those wimpish pads. . . (Philip Parr).

Capital Bowl Semi-Finals:

Glasgow Lions v Falkirk Cougars. 2pm. Edinburgh Phoenix v Glasgow Cyclones. 1pm.

Final at4pm. All games at Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh.

Glasgow. 3pm. The contest to decide who

takes on one of the Old Firm in the final.

Alex McDonald will be hoping his Airdrie 3

side will prove a point against hisold team, but Airdric‘s brand ofcombative and rugged play won‘t endear them to neutrals. Hearts aren't exactly silky-smooth themselves. but have a couple of outstanding individuals who deserve a medal.

PREMIER LEAGUE

I Dundee Utd v St JohnstoneTannadice Park.Tannadice Street. Dundee. 3pm.

I Dunfermline v Aberdeen East End Park. Dunfermline. 3pm. ‘We‘re doomed I tell you' is the cry echoing round East End Park nowadays. They're not wrong either. I Hibs V Motherwell Easter Road Stadium. Albion Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. Hibs' great start to the season petered out after Christmas and. having already qualified for Europe. they have nothing left to play for. Really makes you want to go and see this game doesn‘t it?

FIRST DIVISION

I Clydebank v Ayr United Kilbowie Park. Clydebank. 3pm.

I Kilmarnock v Partick Thistle Rugby Park. Kilmarnock. 3pm.

I Meadowbank Thistle v Dundee Meadowbank Stadium. London Road. Edinburgh. 3pm.

I Morton v HamiltonCappielow Park.

Greenock. 3pm.

SECOND DIVISION

I Albion Rovers v Cowdenbeath Cliftonhill. Coatbridgc. 3pm.

I Clyde V Alloa Douglas Park. Hamilton. 3pm.

I East Stirling v Stranraer Firs Park. Firs Street. Falkirk. 3pm.

Tuesday 7

TENNENTS SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINAL

I Celtic v Rangers Hampden Park Glasgow. 8pm. Rescheduled for the benefit of television against the wishes of both clubs. Celtic have a knack ofending Rangers' interest in this competition. but this year could be the exception with the champions enjoying the benefits of in-form Mark Hater and the tricky Dale Gordon. not to mention a resurgent Peter Huistra.

PREMIER LEAGUE

I Dunfermline v Dundee United East End Park, Dunfermline. 7.30pm. Still doomed, lads.

I Hibernian vAirdrie Easter Road. Edinburgh. 7.30pm

I Motherwell v Hearts Fir Park. Motherwell. 7.30pm.

FIRST DIVISION

I Kilmarnock v Clydebank Rugby Park, Clydebank. 7.30pm.

I Partick Thistle v Ayr United Firhill Park. Glasgow. 7.30pm.

I Stirling Albion v Raith Rovers Annfield Park. Stirling. 7.30pm.

Wednesday 8

FIRST DIVISION

I Meadowbank Thistle v Montrose Meadowbank Stadium. Edinburgh. 7.30pm.

HOCKEY

Sunday 29

CONFINED CUP AND PLATE SEMI-FINALS I Kinross V Dunbar Peffermill Sports Ground, Edinburgh. 10am. Plate.

I Aberdeen Wanderers v Dunfermline Peffermill Sports Ground. Edinburgh. Noon. Cup. -

I Galashiels V Deveron Peffermill Sports Ground. Edinburgh. 2pm. Plate.

I Royal High Gymnasts v Kelbume Peffermill Sports Ground. Edinburgh. 4pm. Cup.

Wednesdayl

I Hamilton Park Races Hamilton Park Racecourse. Bothwell Road. Hamilton. Club £10, Paddock £5 (£3). 2. 15pm. The first meeting of the new flat season on the popular Hamilton course.

Thursday 9

I Hamilton Park Races Hamilton Park Racecourse. Bothwell Road. Hamilton. Club£l0. Paddock £5 (£3). 2. 15pm. The. er. second meeting ofthe new flatseason on the . . .

SPEEDWAY

Fnday27

I Edinburgh Gulf Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers Powderhall Stadium. Edinburgh 7.15pm. A new season starts with the Spring Trophy fixture between the two Scottish rivals. Former Monarch Neil Collins turns up on the opposite side to brother Les and a Pole and two Hungarians give the fixture a cosmopolitan look.

Sunday29

I Glasgow Tigers v Edinburgh Gulf Monarchs Shawfield Stadium. Glasgow. 6.30pm. The Spring Trophy contest resumes with Tigers looking to build on their last two very successful years.

Fuday3

I Edinburgh Gulf Monarchs v Middlesbrough Bears Powderhall Stadium. Edinburgh 7.15pm. The return leg ofthe Gold Cup match with the Middlesbrough side featuring Aussie star Steve Regeling and the interestingly nicknamed American Donny ‘Too Tall' ()dom.

Sunday5

I Glasgow Tigers v Berwick Bandits Shawfield Stadium, Glasgow. 6.30pm. Bandits had problems in Division One last season. They’re back for this Gold Cup clash led by the brilliant Richard Knight and their new signing Scott Lamb.

52 The List 27 March 9 April 1992