“You know, if we'd been a little less keen on fouling, and a little more keen on securing the ball, we might have only lost 0-3. That ref though, 3 sent off for 4 fouls! How rude, it's a perfectly normal part of the casualty service.

Anyway, we welcomed the wild Bjornhaven Berserkers into our store, thinking they'd be dead keen on some casualties. Hardly, barely picked up more than your typical elf team. Scored like elves too, lots of dodging and passing for 4 of them.

They received, though our defence was perfect and their great woolly Troll was beaten down by Creaky Knee, things looking promising, at least until it blitzed back up and put him out for the day. They'd covered the ball well, something we struggled with for the whole game while dedicating so much to the line in hopes of gaining a numbers advantage. Leif's 20 blocks (a team record) gaining just one off for the day.

So our wing defence was soft after the tricky start, they sent a few of our lads into the crowd and were home free once the big Baldur had the ball, Cricked Neck getting his neck cricked for trying to blitz it free, and Fractured Ankle casually killed in back play. Top casualty pick, that.

On our receives from then on, their kicker Bjamir made life very difficult on Post Trauma. When he stood mid-field it was back, stoop back a touch it was right near their feet on the line. Our lads refuse to learn the skill, preferring to dance about the place. First up we caged out very well, but they were ready to smash it all down and we had no choice but to send Cracked Ribs flying over the top. They had the landing a bit covered and it didn't come off, but at least couldn't quite make the passing game work for them and it was still 0-1 at the half.

Unfortunately, our numbers were dwindling while they still had 2 in reserves. Slightly slack in covering the pickup, they had a devastating blodging, stepping, diving tackler on it by the name of Dal before we could get it. Clive went down, and Dal scattered it into his own hands like a magician. Frozen Shoulder out of play on the line, it was left to others to go for the ball, and they just don't have what it takes, lesson learned in this post-match analysis.

After they scored, we proceeded to mess up the pickup again, Cracked Ribs having to try a long pass up to the midfield under pressure. He fumbled it and they scored again. Short kick this time, our dwindling numbers unable to cover much territory, but we did gather it and get a weak cage up. Cracked Ribs was able to regather after the blitz, but tripped getting clear and the ball ended up miles away in the clear for them, the ref just barely giving them enough time to score the 4th.

Brave play from the Norse today, taking it on the chin all day from the big timber and keeping their focus on the ball as we were distracted by the bash. We have the pleasure of another funeral and all the pie that goes with it before our next game, and I do believe some satisfied customers despite the relative dearth of commercial exchanges. That Norse teams likes their scoring.”