“The Fury continue their winning ways against an inexperienced Norse team but suffer a bloody nose. (Written without access to the replay so some details may be slightly inaccurate)

The Vikings seemed fired up for the challenge with a ‘Buzzing!’ handicap meaning they sported no less than five block, frenzy, jump up players with one further enhanced by an ‘Iron Man’ handicap.

The Vikings started well with the first block resulting in a niggled line-elf (The apothecary failed again leaving him 0 from 2 so far…). The Fury struck back badly hurting a Norscan player who was apothacaried to maintain 11 players on the pitch. With all healing used up by the second turn it promised to be a bloody match for both sides, but in the end only the Fury should have been worried. The Norscans broke through and successive failed dodges from the Fury left it easy for them to open the scoring.

With all their re-rolls used the Fury faced a difficult time equalising before the end of the half. It went quickly pear-shaped with a conceded ‘Get the Ref’ despite a higher fan-factor and a very early double skulled turnover. The following turn another lineman was niggled and the St4 Blitzer fouled from the field. The Fury made a desperate run for the line and thanks to a blodging blitzer the Vikings, for once failed to fell the elf. Knocking the Norscan clear the blitzer successfully dashed to the endzone to equalise.

Receiving in the second half the Fury followed a similar gameplan and despite their continued ineffectual blocking and poor dodging a similar score was again achieved again thanks to a blodging blitzer surviving the attempts to take him down. This left the Vikings 5 turns to equalise, and being a man down and with their seeming inability to knock any of the Norscans over or make any dodges it did not look as if the Fury would be able to hang on.

What followed was a grind up the field by the Norscans with the Fury seeking to throw their bodies in the way to delay the drive. The Norscans made a play for the TD but the Fury managed to set up a two dice block (only thanks to dodge re-rolls!) on the ball carrier with the ball ending up into the crowd. The throw in landed in open ground in the middle of the Fury’s half of the field and a scramble ensued. Sensing a chance of a breakaway touchdown the Fury made a short pass to an open lineman in the middle of the pitch. Inaccurate despite a re-roll another scramble broke out. With the Fury failing yet another two-dice block to make the ball safe the game moved into the final Viking turn with the opportunity for a late equaliser. With nails being bitten around the pitch the Norse proceeded to make all but one of their required 7 or 8 rolls (With no team re-rolls remaining) to block all the fury players out of the way, dodge the thrower, make two GFIs, pick up the ball and long pass. Thankfully with his moment of glory imminent the Viking receiver dropped the pass and the game ended with the Fury greatly relieved to have hung on.

The game was frustration after frustration for the Fury (The 45% luck was as high as it got) with barely any Norscans felled or dodges made. Despite this the Fury hung on to win although they are not entirely sure how they managed this. Without the Dodge skills on two of the Blitzers earned in the previous match the game would have been surely lost and despite the enforced retirement of two linemen the good winnings and fan factor increase means the teams is still in reasonably good shape. The Fury are hoping their remaining games are not as frustrating as this one.”