“Both teams threw gold at this make or break game. One team would march victoriously straight through to the final (probably... via a play off and then a semi final) and one team would spend 5 minutes wondering what might have been before deciding it didn't matter. With the purse strings loosened (probably by wandering dust goblin fingers) both teams were feeling confident with their new toys. Unfortunately that confidence did not translate well into performance.

The first half started with a great Abstainer kick right into the endzone forcing the Sandstorm back, Khok'tap scurrying back to get out of harms way... I mean get the ball. The Sandstorm line creaked forward doing very little damage but presenting a menacing wall. Unfortunately the Abstainers noticed the menacing wall had roughly the same coverage as a witch elf's war brassiere and decided to just run around the sides, beating up Tossit on the way. With fully half the Abstainers having sidestepped the Sandstorm Maginot Line Khok'tap was forced to step up and throw the ball forward to Mugg (rather than allow himself to be brutalised) who found himself stood in a very creaky looking cage. Thankfully Mugg survived the Abstainer assault and immediately legged it leaving Ramses Niblik III Kerplunk Kerplunk Kerplunk to put the boot in on his attacker. Mugg then handed back off to Khok'tap who was nearly caught but saved by a clumsy Abstainer Skeleton tripping over and ran it in unmolested. 1-0 Sandstorm.

The Abstainers then easily made their way downfield for a return score with all the Sandstorm Big Guy's already thinking it was half time and electing to stand looking gormless. 1-1 at the half.

Khok'tap took the team aside, gave them some harsh words, ordered 3 Sand Goblins to put on one long trench coat and sneak onto the field as inconspicuously as possible and generally to make sure to start actually fouling. That bribe wasn't cheap and it needed using.

The second half got off to an auspicious start when Dusty Hill, Dust Goblin traitor and general miscreant, was crushed by the ball. Nuffle rightly punishing the Abstainers for sneaking on a 12th player. The 3 righteous extra Dust Goblins, all bastions of fair play, went unpunished because Nuffle loves those that cheat properly.

The Sandstorm then proceeded to foul the Abstainers off the pitch, starting with the insanely dangerous chainsaw. Then a vampire. Then a Skeleton. Then a Wight tripped and removed himself. That left it 6 Abstainers vs 13 Sandstorm. The pressure told, a vampire tripped attempting to surf a Dust Goblin into the crowd and the Sandstorm pounced. The ball also decided it liked the taste of Abstainer blood and stabbed another of them for the hell of it. Everything descended into scrappy chaos until Khok'tap emerged with the ball as usual and casually ran it in for the win. 2-1 Sandstorm.









”