“Once again... I command you... PLAY LADDER! =P

Ok, seriously, the game was a fun one. Harley kicked my butt all up and down the field. He was playing up significantly and played a very smart, very cautious game. I get impatient and try to rush things but he had it down.

Started off with me kicking. He set up the cage but, thanks to the power of the Kick skill, his thrower was way back. Courtesy of a Perfect Defense, I had my +MA blitzer barely in range and I tried the 1-die on the thrower. Blew my only RR (Doom and Gloom for the handicap, so my only one for the half) on the GFI and came up with a skull. Thus went my only shot at the ballcarrier. He ran an incredibly tight cage down the field inflicting 2 CAS on the way - both RIPs, one apothed. He was playing smart and I way overcommitted to putting men in his backfield to capitalize on a turnover. Imagine my surprise when he stayed too well protected to cause it! I got another shot at him on turn 7 on the goal line about to score but it was a risky 2-die against. I could have pushed him in, but instead I left the man on him, since there was always a chance he'd blow the easy block to score. He didn't, so turn 8 of the first half comes around with me down 1-0.

Turn 8, I set up hoping for the Quick Snap and, to my surprise, got it. I managed to chain push my MA 8 blitzer into range and score the one turn TD to end the half even at 1.

Second half I received and really kinda botched my drive. I barely squeaked by on turn 3 after he pinned my ballcarrier up against the sideline next to his endzone. I got into position to prepare for the worst, but the 1-die blitz freed up my ballcarrier to score. 2-1 for the DEs.

He return drive was mighty close. He killed another elf along the way and ended up 5 or 6 spaces away from the equalizing score. It eventually came down to another one-die block on the ballcarrier - a skeleton this time - which put him on the floor and popped the ball free. I managed to get a man clear around midfield and grab the ball. The deciding pass came up as an interception, leaving me out of luck... or so I thought...

His new ballcarrier was tied up in a knot of Elves and Khemri. He got in a cool chain push to free him and ran for cover, but slipped on the GFI. Thanks to that 2+ roll, I managed to grab the ball and pass it downfield (minus the interception, thank you very much) and out of reach. Game ends 2-1.

All in all, it was an enormously fun match and expertly played by harley. I had no clue that such an out-ranked team would make it such a close game. Fortunately a few blocking linos kept me in it and those 2 +MAs made it possible to pull out the win. Barely.

Thanks again for a brilliantly played match, harley-topper.”