Vipers Lose to the Eternals

Friday night saw the Tlaxtlan Vipers lose to the aptly named Turner Eternals 1-0

After the weeks rest of the Bye round - the Vipers had their full squad available to take on the Khemri team. Giving the first-placed Eternals some inducement money to splash around - which they used to instill some Bad Habits on the Lizard squad.

The Vipers received the first kick-off, a deep kick that placed the ball in the End Zone and gave the Eternals time to re-set into a Perfect Defence. The opening rounds saw the Khemri team suffer some potentially devastating blows - the death of a Tomb Guardian and broken neck (-1 AG) to a Throw-Ra - but both were regenerated. Eztli, meanwhile, had retrieved the ball and was moving quickly towards the gaping hole in the Eternals' defence created by the early casualties. But as just as he seemed about to break into clear - he failed an easy dodge - spilling the ball. Eztli, neverless eventually regained possession, only to lose it again when Gensa Khuath knocked him flying. With time running out the Vipers Kroxigor, Ixtli-Atl, attempted to clear a space around the loose ball but succeeded only in knocking himself out instead.

Despite inflicting three casualties to one - the Vipers took the field outnumbered in the second half as all the injured Khemri returned to play - but neither of the Lizards KOs, including the all important Kroxigor, recovered. The half began with a quick snap by the Eternals and for next few passages of play a ferocious melée raged on the centre of the pitch. The absence of the Kroxigor's strength (and Guard) was sorely felt by the Lizards as the Eternnals ground them down. Two casualties and a KO thinned the Vipers' numbers sufficiently for the Khemri to begin moving the ball downfield. And despite some dogged defence they eventually crossed the line for a TD.

The Vipers, now down to just nine players verses a full Khemri squad, made one last attempt to score the equaliser. Eztli fielded the ball and quickly handed it off to Tlaloc who took off towards End Zone - only one Khemri player remained bewteen him the line. But that was enough as Sebhotis Enmhat not only knocked the skink down, but injured him as well. An attempt to retrieve the loose ball in the dying seconds of the game came undone when Mextlu failed to dodge past the Throw-Ra and grab the ball.

A very close game - well played Luke. The ability to regenerate the (quite catastrophic) injuries was crucial to the game - and perhaps the Eternals season. A dead Tomb Guardian, a ST2 Blitz-Ra and AG1 Throw-Ra would undoubtedly have caused some considerable problems for the Khemri team.

Dave

(aka Axebreaker)