Vipers Lose!!

All good things come to end - and so it is with the Tlaxtlan Vipers finally losing a game - crashing back to earth against the Black Plagues 2-1.

It's always going to be a tough encounter when of two the leagues longest serving Coaches go head-to-head, and this game was no exception. Expecting a very physical game, the Lizards used their Inducement money to buy a Wandering Apothecary and some Bloodweiser Babes. Although the Vipers prediction proved correct, their precautions helped them not at all!

The Skaven elected to receive and, after a deep kick, the Plagues got off to a bad start when their Rat Ogre, Grim Reaper, crashed to the ground during the very first Block of the game. The Lizards took off up field hoping to shut down the dangerous Skaven offence before it could get started. Stunty Strongarm, however, eluded the defenders and soon had the ball flying down field and into the paws of The Pied Piper who took off towards the End Zone. Although pursued by a host of Lizards, the talented Gutter Runner seemingly had a TD in the bag - but his team-mates were keen on trying to thin out the Vipers squad first - however, they only managed to achieve an embarrassing Turn Over instead. Achcauhtla quickly knocked The Pied Piper out-of-bounds and the ball was gathered up by Xipatli who took it all the way down field for a TD.

The kick-off - despite being aimed at the very centre of Skaven territory - fell short and the ball bounced into Vipers half of pitch - allowing the Plagues to give it straight to The Pied Piper. The Vipers defence rushed back and constructed a tight cordon between the elusive Gutter Runner and the End Zone - but the wiley Skaven dashed backwards before heading across field where he handed off the ball to Blitzer Slash Heartripper who then carried it into the End Zone to level the scores.

The Plagues Coach obviously used the half-time interval to stress to his team the importance of hurting the Lizards and the second half soon became an unpleasant ordeal for the Vipers. First to go was Xipatli who was bundled over the side-lines and Badly Hurt by Grim Reaper. Barely pausing Grim then turned down field and seriously injured Nezahualcoyotl. The remaining Vipers. meanwhile, had secured the ball and where pushing hard up the left hand side of the field. Another Skink was lost enroute when Mextlu failed a Dodge while trying to get up field to protect Eztli who had made a break deep into the Skaven back field. All alone, Eztli was dispossessed and the ball was picked up by The Pied Piper who flung it down field to Stunty Strongarm. As the defence rushed back - yet another Skink was carried off the pitch as Slash Verminhead seriously injured Eztli. Nevertheless, the Vipers managed to throw a Tackle Zone on Stunty Strongarm right on the line of the End Zone - but the Skavens' speed and superior numbers soon cleared away this obstruction and Srongarm waltzed over the line for the winning TD.

But the game wasn't quite over - and a final tragedy awaited the Vipers when Grim Reaper killed Acalan right on the siren.

Thanks to Givo for the game - it was a very tight affair - and I'll no doubt see you in the finals :)

Dave

(aka Axebreaker)