“Season both on and off the pitch has been an uphill battle so far. The lads are a bit down about probably being out before the season really got going and strangely, it probable is the first time the delfs had something in common with Sp00n's orcs after they too were forced out of the running with an identical start.

The game got off to a mixed start from the Vanguard. A failed catch on a reroll could have had them in trouble, but I think the orcs were still a bit flustered after our last two games and didn't find a game plan for defence. Two of their lads were quickly crowdpushed and so the Vanguard offence looked like recovering from their mishap pretty quickly. Especially when two more orcs were lined up on the sideline.

Unfortunately it all went downhill from there and we lost a very commanding position as both crowdpushes failed and a string of early turnovers from failed dodges and pickups undermined our plans. Despite it all, we managed one extremely lucky push of the ball into the crowd, and with a handy throw from a well planted fan, we scraped in a try in on turn 8. Given that we were trapped in a dangerously fatal position, this was a lucky escape.

In the second half, the orcs found their game plan and drove confidently down the field. We missed our two half-chances when they came in turn 9 and 14, but for the most part we were unable to do much except to slow down the advance. We're really struggling against the big guns now that our cohort of guarder's have been decimated. Just one lad remains and he is is niggled. Holding off for eight turns was one too many. Sometimes the delaying tactic can be more of a curse than a blessing.

All in all, sp00n's lads finally found a strong game plan against us second half and well deserved a draw. In hindsight, given the number of early turnovers we struggled with this game, we're reasonably happy with the same result especially as we managed to get by with no permanent injuries against such a well stocked team. It could have panned out so much worse looking back at the position we found ourselves in at Turn 5.

Twahnlow Votes:

3pts: #3 Johnson

Diving tackle on a bob is a stroke of genius for an orc team with a history of difficult times against elf units. This game saw Johnson in everything. But it was the second half that he probably won the game for them on his own. Our guarder was desperately needed for some cagebusting, but he spent 7 turns far from the action and not able to get away from Johnson's diving tackles. When he finally did, it was too late.

He also blocked for a quad skulls in the game - probably the only bad dice luck the orcish lads really faced. Usually this would condemn a player from getting twahnlow votes, but I reckon it was Genius Johnson at work again. The timing and concentration of nuffle's disfavour was brilliantly planned! Turn 8 first half, it gave us no chance to capitilise with a counterattack. There was a small chance it may lost them a gobbo fling try, but a quad skills here would still have been better than a quad skulls in their second half drive! Would have meant the Vanguard would have had less time needed on defence of the win in the second half.

2pts: #12 Howard

For standing his ground in the block that would have seen him, and probably his mate Hardaway also swept into the crowd. It was the heroic moment that their team's morale needed and it created a disastrous turnaround of events. Didn't seem like much at the time, but if both of them had gone and/or been injured, fluffy morale may likely not have recovered for a strong second half.

1pts: #6 Miller

Safely hung onto the ball come what may in the second half. If it wasn't for his sure hands, the ball would have been stripped away and the Vanguard off for a win.

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