After three defeats in a row making up a decidedly shaky start, could the Unicorns bounce back and avoid finishing last in the DLE for the second season in a row?

The new signings were bedding in after their opening four matches and whilst fans may not have been fully convinced by Coach Wilson's tactical credentials, the new faces were endearing themselves to the passionate and dedicated fans.


Laying on The Hurt

Despite missing several players for their upcoming match, divisional rivals the Kislev Cardinals would be a serious challenge for the Unicorns. In an otherwise forgettable match, a flurry of grappling, snarling violence would shape the rest of the Unicorns' season. The hosts had put talented catcher AJ Brown into the infirmary with a broken arm but Athur Dent, Thomas Leboucher, Bruno Giza, Ruud van Buuren, Tancred Montfort, Ottmar Wirt, and Juan Thornhill had all seen the inside of the medical tent by the end of the first half. Arion Hill scored the opener - the first time the Unicorns had conceded first this season - before a blitz on number one restructure pick, Tancred 'The Tank' Montfort. The Bretonnian was knocked unconscious and passed away before the end of the match.

=== Tancred Montfort b. Montfort, Bretonnia - d. Übersreik, Reikland - 5 games, 1 touchdown, 1 MVP ===

Carlos Lobato suffered a broken arm from Cards blitzer Hill but Rafa Brigante scored a late equaliser to give the hosts something to smile about.

Still smarting from the loss of a potential star for the club, the Unicorns travelled to Praag to face the Grizzlies. The visitors to the Old Palace Stadium decided that, on this day, violence was the answer. In the most bloodthirsty match in recent memory, the Unicorns put the Grizzlies to the sword. Eight casualties, and two suffered, was the score which mattered to Coach Wilson. The scoreboard might have read 2-2 with Royce Freeman giving Praag the edge twice, only to be pegged back by Giza and Richard Lane. It may take some time for the ordinarily green, front row seats to lose their scarlet tinge.

Steadying the Ship

Having gained a taste for blood, the Unicorns would, perhaps aptly, travel to Carroburg to take on the Crimson Cascade. The experienced team were favourites but the Reiklanders would not go down without a fight. But the game was marked by a bizarre series of unexplained misfortunes - for both sides - with two players tripping over their shoe laces with the end zone in sight. For large phases of the game the ball bounced around like a halfling at an ogre's birthday party. Amidst the chaos, Bruno Giza, whose fumbled ball handling had cost the Unicorns to concede, in no small part due to the fans launching the loose ball straight back into the Unicorns end zone where Zoe van der Linden could score, managed to undo some of his errors by notching a late equaliser. However, the cost to the Unicorns was dear with the permanent loss of one blitzer and injuries to Wirt and Sean Bunting.

=== Ruud van Buuren b. Aarnau, The Wasteland - d. Carroburg, Middenland - 7 games, 1 MVP ===

Three draws after three defeats had given the Unicorns a sense of composure but two deaths had put them on the back foot once more. The visit to bitter rivals, the Flashfurt Universe, could not have come at a worse time.

Ahmed Fidalgo's early score was met with impassionate shrugs by the Unicorns bench as they attempted to manage the game without club captain Wirt, blisteringly fast catcher Bunting, and their two deceased new signings. However, club veteran, Barry Gryson's agent had made it clear that the fearsome ogre was expecting a new contract and his client's refusal to heed Coach Wilson's calls meant that the Universe gained an upper hand in centre field. Fortunately for the guests, Rafa Brigante scored from new boys Zachary Blaide's fumble. Brigante had another chance for glory deep into the second half. However, he failed the pick up and, instead, Ahmed Fidalgo scooped up the ball in a pocket of Unicorns players, threw a long range effort to the marked Donnel Pumphrey, who caught the undeflected ball, evaded the grip of Richard Lane, and crossed the line. The pitchside microphones, broadcasting the match to crystal balls across the region, had to be temporarily muted lest they picked up the tirade of expletives spewing from Coach Wilson's frothing lips.

The tide appeared to have turned but two deaths, a series of injuries to key players, and a galling last minute loss to their divisional rivals had put a stick in the spokes of the Unicorns progress. Where would the team go from here?


MVPs
G5: T. Leboucher
G6: R. van Buuren
G7 & G8: L. Woodside

TOUCHDOWNS
3 - B. Giza; R. Brigante
2 - S. Bunting
1 - R. Lane; T. Montfort

COMPLETIONS
6 - O. Wirt
2 - L. Woodside
1 - O. Adeniyi

CASUALTIES
4 - T. Leboucher; B. Gryson
3 - J. Thornhill
2 - B. Giza; R. Brigante
1 - S. Bunting; C. Lobato; C. Torrosa; O. Wirt; A. Dent

VICTIMS
G5: Kislev Cardinals - A.J. Brown (NI)
G6: Praag Grizzlies - J. Tavai (MNG); P. Lloyd (RIP); A. Timbrell (MNG); C. Awuzie (MNG); C. Murray (MNG); C. Williams (RIP); A. Krôll (MNG)
G7: Carroburg Crimson Cascade - P. Neuheuser (NI)
G8: Flashfurt Universe - U. Pendragon (-AV); S. Perine (-AG) R. Fenton (RIP)

INJURIES SUFFERED
G5: C. Lobato (-PA); T. Montfort (RIP)
G7: R. van Buuren (RIP); O. Wirt (NI); S. Bunting (-AG)