“For this Season III, Game 2 match, the current Albion division round-one leaders faced off. The Wizards were more than a bit outgunned, and induced a wizard (no surprise) and a lino, for 13 total in reserve to start the game against seven St 4+ Expats plus four St 2 skinks.

The midfield High Kick slipped thru the hands of the Lizards' Ag 4 skink, which proved to be critical, as a 3d Both-Down by the Krox ended the turn early with only 3 skinks screening the ball. The Wizards called on their namesake, who delivered a weak fireball that only managed to drop one of the 3 skinks, then blitzed to only push the second aside and mark the ball and third skink, the Ag 4. The Lizards answered a bit too casually, trying to surf a player instead of flooding to protect the ball, and after a Blitz pushed one of two marking skinks aside a 4+ pickup gave the Wizards the ball. Using their third RR in as many turns gave them a defensive score by the end of Turn 3, Wizards up 1-0, with only one man KO'd (despite 16 blocks) and he waking back up, full roster to kickoff.

Turn 4 the Lizards tried receiving again, knocking a Wizard out and caging centerfield short of their own LoS, with a strong push the low side. Turn 5 the Lizards changed field sides to the top, then returned to the bottom Turn 6, caging behind a strong screen that caught 3/4 of the Humans on the far side. Turn 7 they swung sides again, to the 5 yard line, and despite a strong Human response and a Krox that had decided the game had ended Turn 6 (and some last-second Expat confusion on the part of the blocking coach) scored Turn 8 for the tie, 1-1.

A High Kick and a Pow-Push stopped the OTS attempt, and the half ended 1-1.

Meanwhile, two more Wizards had been KO'd, but all but a rookie Blitzer had woken up to receive 2nd half 8 kick, 11 permanent players and almost a full roster, but no wizard this time.

And that's apparently when the Expats replaced their blocking coach, and hired one with a more... aggressive attitude.

A (perhaps less than) Perfect Defense started the half, but a 1d block opened the door for a Blodger to run through deep. After losing their Blodging Catcher MNG Turn 1, the Humans caged near the midfield sideline, but a late key block vs. a threatening Saurus skulled, and by the end of Turn 2, with the help of a chainpush, the Expats had knocked the ball free and surrounded 7 of the 10 humans against the sideline, with only 2 standing against 5 Str 4-5 Expats, 3 marking the ball.

To start Turn 3, a successfully RR'd 2d skull by the Humans was followed by a 1d skull, ending any response, and the Lizards surfed 2 humans into the Reserve box, but snaked an Ag 4 dodge. A RR'd -2d skulled for the beleaguered humans, but all the lizards could do was push some players around and roll a too-early Both-Down on their Krox, and waste a RR while doing so, leaving only 1 Expat marking the ball and opening the door a crack for the Humans.

But Nuffle would have none of that, and after the Wizards dodged and blitzed to deliver their first Cas, to a DT skink, their Catcher tripped and tried to kill himself, with a lazy Apo only offering -AV as an alternative.

With only 2 of 7 remaining humans standing by the end of Turn 5, the lizards were finally able to take possession of the ball, and next turn removed another 4 Wizards from the field, starting the first of 2 turns trying in vain to hand it off to a Saurus. One valiant human Blitzer actually got their hands on the ball for a brief, shining moment, and after losing it again then double-dodged to blitz the only potential ballcarrier for the Turn 8 score - but 3d counter-blitzes ended both efforts, and, despite braindead coaches leaving no RR's for the win, the Expats managed to not roll a 1 and scooped and scored, winning 2-1 to take the lead spot in Albion.

The second half casualties and (non-casualty) surfs spelled difference, as the Coach F had done well against a much stronger opponent until then. Though suffering a setback in team building, this first-year team will surely be seen again on the podium.”