“I liked this game - not just because I won, although that does feel nice after a run of losses and draws, but because it was exactly the kind of game I enjoy. I got to do a lot of elfy stuff like throw some long bombs, throw a TD pass from my own side of the pitch and make a one-turner on the final turn, but I also got to spend a fair bit of time working on my defence against a coach who wasn't afraid to push forward and take a few risks. Happily, the dice pretty much let us do what we liked, with LEAFAR making some great plays that required dodges and going for it and even throwing a long pass (an impressive feat for necros without passing skills).

The first half ended with a particularly impressive series of plays in which LEAFAR broke free from what I thought was a solid position where I had him boxed in against the side and set himself up for the score. I blitzed, badly hurt the wolf carrying the ball and took possession of it, only to be blitzed and lose the ball on the following turn, forcing me to blitz once more and (luckily) get the ball far enough away that LEAFAR was unable to score. With little else to do, LEAFAR then finished off the half in style, giving me a SI and a RIP (which of course he then stole for his own team!).

At 2-1 to the wood elves with two turns to go, the necros were still in with a chance of a draw. Unfortunately, LEAFAR had miscalculated and thought he had three turns, and it was only through a bit of luck that two of his players were within gfi range of the endzone. I put them in tackle zones and was preparing for a blitz to push one of them back out of range and put the other in too many TZs, and that was when I suffered my only turnover of the entire game. The tree decided to make a multiple block, even though he didn't need to, and when the second block was only a pushback, he used Pro to reroll it (why not) and double skulled, very much serving me right. LEAFAR then did everything he needed to to clear a path for his wolf, get the ball to him and run in the score with 2 gfi rolls. Most impressive.

But of course I got the final turn and I still had my side-stepping catcher and a clear path to the endzone if only I could get him 2 squares forward. Fortunately, the dice were most obliging and so I stole victory from the jaws of draw.

LEAFAR was a tough opponent and was a challenge to play against. My defensive play seems to be improving, and I've added a diving tackle to give me a little extra boost, but I still don't have any tackle. Next time out I must really make sure at least one of the wardancers skills up so he can take it.

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