Kickoff return saves Rush in 52-49 win at Cleveland

CLEVELAND - Rush kick returner Chris Martin scored on a 57-yard kickoff return with 14 seconds left to help the Chicago Rush to a 52-49 win over the Cleveland Gladiators at the Quicken Loans Arena Saturday night.

Martin's return came after Cleveland scored with 21 seconds remaining to take a 49-45 lead.

Even with the return, though, the Rush (6-2) still needed to hold on at the end when Cleveland (3-5) kicker Matt Denny's 34-yard field goal attempt to tie the game missed wide left at the final buzzer.

The sequence was typical of the back-and-forth affair, which saw the Rush trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half before coming back for the victory.

"One hallmark of this team is that we just don't give up," said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. "We struggled at times, but we got a big interception from Josh Ferguson in the third quarter and then Martin's return was huge. He's been close to breaking a few the last several games and he finally got one."

The Rush did not lead until the fourth quarter, when Ferguson's interception in the end zone set up a Russ Michna to Samie Parker touchdown that gave Chicago a 36-35 lead.

The lead did not last long, as Cleveland responded when fullback Russell Monk rumbled in from two yards out to put Cleveland back on top 42-36 with just under eight minutes to go in the game.

The Rush tied the score at 42-42 on its next series, when Michna connected with Alan Turner on a 22-yard strike.

With the game even, the Rush defense stepped up big, forcing a turnover on downs.

Chris Gould took advantage and made up for what had been a rocky night, connecting on a 23-yard field goal that put the Rush up 45-42. Prior to the field goal, Gould had missed two extra points and a field goal in the game.

Chicago's comeback actually began late in the second quarter with the team trailing 28-14. The Rush got the ball back with a minute remaining in the half and drove the length of the field before DeJuan Alfonzo punched in his first rushing touchdown of the season, sending the teams into their lockers with the Gladiators leading 28-21.

Michna completed 22 of 29 passes for 272 yards and 4 TDs.

Chicago returns home on Friday to host the Jacksonville Sharks.