Tempo Ray Mutineers 2-0 Fabienettes

Weather: Nice

Gate: 35k

The two Eastern Conference teams with wins in their opening games met at Mutiny Island with pundits predicting a tense encounter. The first home game of the season for the Mutineers was always going to be a major event, 3,000 fans had to be turned away from the gates due to the overcrowding caused by fan support. With the Fabienettes having scored the biggest win during the opening week against the Mercenaries some were expecting them to stretch the home side. However, the Mutineers are considered by many to be favourites for the Eastern Conference title this season and they underlined their form with a comprehensive victory that dropped the Fabienettes down from first to third in the conference standings.

Receiving the opening kick off, the early going was cagey. The Fabienettes set up using their now traditional deep defense formation leaving little action on the front line and a free backfield for the Mutineers to collect the ball. The normally sure handed High Elf Blitzer Savogand Thrall passed up this opportunity with a casual fumble. With their formation set deep, the Fabienettes could not take immediate advantage. The away team faced a further setback when secondary ball-handler Wogwog was badly hurt by Ernesto Hoost, a Lineman for the Mutineers. Shrugging off any embarassment, Savogand took possession of the ball on his second attempt and moved towards the front line. The defensive positions provided strong cover down both flanks and against a deep threat but in order to do so, sacrificed the central area. The Mutineers sensed this and launched their attack slowly and surely down the middle of the pitch.

As the half began to run out, Savogand finally made a break towards the end zone. This exposed him to a defensive blitz which ripped the ball from his grasp by Wood Elf Thrower Fabino. A sigh from the crowd indicated that the Fabienettes may just have managed to hold out particularly when they were able to run a series of players within range of the ball. The one thing that the Mutineers established in the first game against the Dolts was that they do not panic when time appears to be against them. Amazon Blitzer Boa Dicea made a solitary break from the pack to take up position in the end zone as Savogand regained his footing, scooped up the ball and took aim with a gently flighted pass to the now awaiting receiver. A score with almost no time left in the half again for the Mutineers.

The first half was not quite over with time for the Mutineers kick-off. Recognising that it was unlikely the away team would score, the kick-off was launched viciously in the face of Fabino. He had only moments earlier valiantly failed to prevent a Mutineers score and now found himself carried from the field seriously injured in response. Perhaps shaken by the loss of their primary ball carrier to add to their secondary ball carrier, the Fabienettes could not cause any damage to the Mutineers line as the half ended.

Things didn't look great for the travelling support when the team's lined up for the second half. The Fabienettes could only field eight players while the Mutineers were only missing Beastman Kotek Gorefest who had been unable to take part throughout the game for a reason unspecified by the Mutineers medical team. The Fabienettes were reduced to seven when Orc Lineman Pubic Trimmer failed to dodge away from the front line scrum and landed head first, knocking himself out. With none of the specialised ball-handlers left to take the field, Norse Lineman "Long" Pugh Bes took up the running as the rest of the team attempted to hold the ball on the right flank and protect themselves from more brutalisation at the hands of the Mutineers. Their efforts were in vain as the Pugh Bes was eventually dumped into the crowd by Gunnar Gunnarsson, the Dwarf Runner.

With the ball thrown back in by the crowd, the Mutineers reduced the Fabienettes numbers to four. Casualties from Toxix the Wight and Kerval Axebreaker meant the away team would struggle to field more than a front line in any subsequent kick-off. Sensing a big win, Savogand Thrall was the first to take the ball from its position in centrefield following the crowd intervention. In one motion, he took the ball and passed for his second completion of the day to Boa Dicea. The Amazon found herself with an open end zone due to the lack of Fabienette numbers, an opportunity she didn't pass up as her third TD of the season pushed the Blitzer to the top of the player ratings in the early season going.

Crowd trouble marred the remainder of the match. A riot broke out when it became apparent the Fabienettes would only be able to field four players in the next kick-off. With many in the audience demanding stiffer opposition, the crowd control operatives were unable to calm the situation down before time ran out for the second half. A 2-0 loss flattered the visitors though they were so close to holding out in the first half before they just ran out of able bodies. An investigation has been launched by league officials into the crowd violence that marred the second half so it can be encouraged on future occasions.

Injuries: Fabienettes: Fabino - Groin Strain (0 games)

Key Stats

Team	CAS	Rush	Blocks	Downs	Pass
Mutineers	5	28	39	26	7
Fabienettes	0	7	30	19	0

MVPS: Kerval Axebreaker, "Roy's" Girl

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