“The Sun was high in the sky as the Cowboys stepped on the field for their inaugural game. Hopes were high as the weather was perfect for Blood Bowl and the Cowboys were feeling good. The Wood Elfs were given all the time they needed to score the first TD, the Cowboys knew they could get a goal back before half time and then they had 8 whole turns to crush their wood living cousins under their boots before scoring in the last.

The plan was going well - the Treeman was ineffective, the Cowboy players were staying out of trouble but the damn Woodies didn't want to score. They were caging and stalling. The Cowboy's head coach suspected foul play and began to question if he was actually facing Elfs at all!

Eventually the Rangers scored and the Cowboys could go to work. It was a sight to behold, sheer Blood Bowl beauty. Crash, bang, pass, catch - 2 turns and 1 TD. The half time whistle was blown quickly and the Cowboys were eager for more.

Again, the plan worked to perfection......well, to begin with at least. The Cowboys got the ball, cleared the Rangers defence, ran the ball down the pitch, passed the ball, caught the ball and ran on some more. A simple hand-off was all that was required to run the ball in but at the last moment the sun shining off the earrings of the Rangers deep defence blinded the Cowboy player and the ball was dropped! Calamity Jane!

A scramble ensued and as the Cowboys attempted to pick the loose ball up, it squirted free (they suspect grease had been rubbed on the ball) and was left in a most dangerous place. The Rangers picked the free ball up and charged for the end-zone. And then they stalled again before scoring in the final turn.

The final score was 2-1 to the Rangers but it was worse than that for the Cowboys as their star player on the day, Lee Van Cleef, was killed in action and another, old Gabby Hayes, was injured enough to force him out of the next game. All-in-all, it was a good game and both coaches played well but the Cowboys just came up short. The next week will be spent honing ball handling skills and woe betide any Cowboy who drops the ball next time! ”