Hashutites 3
Marnak Darkstabber (2), Urkan Burntfoot
OrcaLoca 0
A defensive master-class from Hashutites secured safe passage to the Championship game with a game to spare, and left OrcaLoca reeling on what could have been.
A weak onside kickoff fell short of the ideal destination, resulting in a touchback for the Chaos Dwarfs, elected to receive after winning the toss. This was the ideal start, but the Orcs chipped away through the middle of the scrum and almost landing telling hits on the ball carrier.
Marnak’s elusiveness proved a headache for the greenskins all night, as he broke free from the tackles to sweep down the right flank. Lineorc, Mongee, was culpable for a poor block that saw him fall leaving acres of space open for the home team to charge through. To their credit, the defenders scrambled back into position and managed to have 4 players mark Marnak, but once more the great cow gloriously rampaged through the lines to score the first of the night midway through the first half.
The two bull centaurs came to the fore once more, causing uncontrollable mischief in the backfield from defence, whilst the dwarf blockers held firm at the centre of the pitch.
Srifac, the thrower, caught the high ball from kick-off and played safe, deep in his half. His teammates’ pushed through the centre with urgency, knowing that time was running out for a key touchdown. The plan was clear: equalise before half time and score the winner in the 2nd half; but orcish green hearts wilted at the sight of a clumsy pass from Srifac landing at the feet of the Chaos Dwarf blockers.
The crowd went wild with ironic cheer as hobgoblin, Gnash Greenheart, threw a 22 yard pass to Urkan Burntfoot, who caught it with aplomb, and wheeled away to effectively kill the contest by half-time with his defensive take-away touchdown.
The second half was a brutal grind by the OrcaLoca, who began the half by removing two players and showed initial supremacy down the left flank. A wall of 5 orcs in front of the ball carrier provided ample protection, which left the dwarfs chasing shadows. The key moment, however was with the Troll’s mistimed block that knocked him out, leaving a huge hole in the centre that allowed the chorfs a way back into position.
Desperately plugging gaps in the defence, Ferdinand the Minotaur – playing his finest game to date – bullied his way back into position, whilst removing black orc after black orc. Suddenly, the offensive drive was dire, as green bodies carpeted the ground around Srifac. Marnak force fumbled the ball, after his trademark break tackling capabilities, by shocking the carrier and caused the ball to split back into the centre of the pitch.
The hard yards were halted, and Gnash Greenheart was at hand to punt the ball downfield, allowing the surprisingly speedy Marnak to run in his 6th touchdown of the campaign – equal top scorer with Dwarverhampton Wanderer’s Paulie Dahlberg.
OrcaLoca will be glad to see the back of the bull centaurs, as they scored 5 in the two games. The death of two key players, particularly the guard, had a big impact on their final push for glory, but expectations are high for the new season. All that remains is a match with the Dwarfs to determine 3rd spot.
Hashutites have thrown down the gauntlet with this impressive performance and will be seeking revenge on Bognor Bograts after losing their Week 7 match. The game will be a dress rehearsal for the Championship game, as both qualified with a game to spare. All that’s left to decide is who takes top spot in the regular season of the Quiçama MiddleLands Superleague.
Mango's Valuable Player: Marnak Darkstabber - the elusive bull centaur could not be pinned as he scored 2 TDs, sacked the ball carrier and KO'd key opponents. A vintage display.
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