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1. 1. NWFL Ssn X, Game 5

A semi-Phyrric victory, questionably deserved and a tribute to Nuffle's whims and never giving up, even if not realistically expecting to succeed.

The last meeting of these teams, 10 games ago, was a brutal affair, with the Norse outbashing and overwhelming the Khemri. Since then the 'Sons had lost their two Star Pomb Blitzers, but the Kings' Legend Thro-Ra was out MNG to keep the TV diff in the Sons' favor.

First half the Sons won the kickoff and received, and at first it looked like a repeat of the previous game, with one after another Khemri being knocked off the field, a Skel (by a Rock), a TG (by Snow Troll blitz) and a Blitz-Ra (by failed dodge) all KO'd Turn 1. But while the Kings -ST'd the Norse +MA Runner (kept in the game and on the team by Apo), the Sons answered BH'ing the Super-Star TG (but regen'd) Turn 2. A rookie coaching errour allowed a Khemri blitz to pop the ball to end Turn 2, but Lindisfarne recovered while KO'ing the +stat Thro-Ra and Guard skellie Turns 3 & 4, leaving only 2 TG's, a Blitz-Ra and 2 skels. It looked as if they could do little while the Norse passed for skills and stalled, out of range, but they managed to trade their 2nd KO'd Blitz-Ra for a KO'd Ulf, and, finally, Turn 7, made the Sons pay for using their Apo by RIP'ing the Norse Guard lino before the Turn 8 score, 1-0.

Turn 8 the diminished 11-man Norse roster had to make a tough choice for the LoS, which led to a a rookie 'Zerk out MNG.


By 2nd half, unlike the previous meeting, all the Kings except the Guard Lino had woken up (as did the Norse Ulf), so an almost intact Khemri roster lined up across from a Norse roster missing their Guard + the zerk.. And this time, the bash stayed with the offense, as the Kings sent off a Lino Bh'd Turn 1, an Ulf KO'd Turn 2, and broke a lone ballcarrier though to the Sons' 6 yard line to end Turn 3. But the Sons' Ag 4 lino dodged free and blitzed to 1d the ball loose (via RR), and recovered. That was short-lived as he was KO'd next turn and the other Ulf BH'd (but the Khemri Pomber BH'd himself on a failed dodge, no regen). There followed 2 full turns of dogfight over the ball, but the under-manned Norse luck ran out to end Turn 6 with double-skulls by the Snow Troll. With all 5 remaining Norse in the dirt but no RR remaining (on either side), the Kings scored Turn 7 to tie it up, 1-1.


Turn 7 neither the +Ag ballhandler nor the Ulf woke up, so only 5 Norse (including 2 rookies) were able to take the field against a 10-man Khemri roster. But a short kick to the Norse' "strong" side opened the door, and a (poorly managed) Quick Snap made it 1 MA closer. With no RR, the Sons managed to KO the nearest TG with their Yeti, set up something like a screen and 3+ pickup the ball with their MA 8 Blodge Runner and get him to within (double-GFI) scoring range! The 'Kings answered by Niggling the Norse Star Guard Runner, putting the MA 7 Thro-Ra in the path of the score and marking the ballcarrier from behind (and only then, unrelated to the defense, KO'ing the Yeti for good measure!). The Blodger dodged free, 1d'd for a Push, dodged out again, and double-GFI'd - for the odds-against win, 2-1.


And while a win is better than a tie, Lindisfarne knows how closely it was to that tie, and how dearly they paid for it, and has to wonder what toll those injuries will take in future games.”