Tempo Ray Mutineers 2-0 No Talent All-Stars

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The largest stadium in the league was filled to capacity for the eagerly anticipated semi final clash between the Tempo Ray Mutineers and the No Talent All-Stars. As many as three thousand fans had to be turned away from the largest gate so far recorded. The first post-season game in the league was so anticipated as it did not throw up an immediately obvious favourite. The Mutineers went through the regular season with a league-leading record of 7 wins and just 1 loss. That loss was against the All-Stars in Week 6. As the only team to beat the Mutineers, the All-Stars finished the season with three big wins including that game as well as victories over the Savages and at the Mugaz to secure qualification for this game. The Mutineers qualified as Eastern Conference champions while the All-Stars made the post-season thanks to securing a wildcard spot after finishing second in the West.

The coin toss was won by the Mutineers who elected to receive. The All-Stars put up a strong defense on each wide zone with the aim of funnelling the attack into the center where they have had a great deal of success throughout the regular season thanks to the prowess of their blocking. The Mutineers are no mugs when it comes to blocking though, finishing only behind the All-Stars themselves in the Most Violent Team award for 2003. The Mutineers pushed the meagre front line back and away to create space for a comfortable ball collection by team captain Savogand Thrall, the High Elf Blitzer. Savogand had a tremendous regular season including being awarded the Eastern Player of the Year thanks to a haul of 8 TDs. Holding behind the front line, Savogand was always vulnerable to an All-Stars rush and it came from Blitzer Jack Hour. Jack simply ran round the end of the Mutineers blocking line and was able to throw a block on Savogand but it was never going to be that easy. Savogand has a reputation for putting the ball on the floor but this time, he clung on grimly.

Attacking in a modified flying wedge, the Mutineers brought their devious know-how to bear by causing the first casualty of the game. Lineman Ernesto Boost cleaved Zombie Vile Rotgut almost in two with his illegal chainsaw. We understand that Rotgut will be fine though it he could not regenerate the wound in time to make it back onto the pitch. Both sides were an Undead player down within moments. All-Stars Lineman George Mayson took revenge with a casualty on Mutineers Skeleton "Slim" Zeke McDead. The beatings being laid down on the Undead players provided enough of a gap in the Mutineers wedge for Norseman Samuel Magnusson, the All-Stars player of the year, to slip through and tackle Savogand Thrall. The blow was not dangerous but Magnusson had the wherewithal to strip the ball from the High Elf's hands and rack up yet another fumble to the Mutineers captain.

The All-Stars simply didn't have enough penetration into the Mutineers wedge to take possession of the ball. It was Savogand who was first to react, scooping the ball up and racing down the right flank with his entourage of blockers in his wake. The move caught the away side out of position, they didn't have enough cover to halt the sudden rush. All-Stars players began scrambling back as fast as they could and it turned out to be fast enough. Orc Grak Hedsplitta was just able to exert himself enough to tackle Savogand Thrall from behind, stunning the High Elf and leaving the ball bouncing free once again. Once again, it was the Mutineers who reacted first. Having caught the All-Stars slightly out of position, the home side were able to bring weight of numbers to bear. Amazon Blitzer Boa Dicea took up the running for the dazed Savogand and consolidated behind a wall of blockers. That wall was unlikely to hold the girth of All-Stars Ogre Kaneris N'Gillthrog. The player with the most successful blocks and knockdowns in the regular season and the top dodger in the West burst through to lay a massive blitz on Boa Dicea. The Amazon was unfazed. While the blow pushed her back, she kept balance perfectly and retained possession of the ball. Boa Dicea is clearly made of stern stuff.

The threat to the ball carrier was now great. The All-Stars had rallied thanks to the tackle by Grak Hedsplitta and a change of game plan was called for. Boa Dicea, with 0 passing attempts during the regular season, bought herself a yard of space with a neat feint and bulleted a short pass to Dwarf Runner Gunnar Gunnarsson. The throw was right on target, a successful catch would mean a certain score. Only Dicea herself has secured a reception so far for the Mutineers and that statistic was not about to change. The Dwarf flapped miserably at the pass and it squirmed free, the third time the ball had hit the deck during the drive. The one advantage the play had brought to the Mutineers was in territory. Only Grak Hedsplitta was deep enough to make a play on the ball but he could not lay a firm hand on it. Lying just four yards out, a Mutineers possession would surely mean a touchdown. So it proved, Savogand Thrall was clearly the quickest player on the park and he was able to slip through the tackle zones to grab the ball and run it in for the opening score of the game.

The first half had flown by and there was very little time left for an equalier, the All-Stars would have to move rapidly to level it up before the half-time whistle. They were aided by an appaling kick from the Mutineers which sailed out of play, allowing a touchback. The visitors elected for Saurus Blocker Verkampf "Rat Destroyer" who had a touchdown against the Wildmen to his credit during the regular season. The battering ram tactics might have worked but the support was sorely lacking. Top team rusher, Wood Elf Aenarion Swift was unable to dodge free for assistance, Lineman and league leading fouler Tom Flid was Badly Hurt by Mutineers Dwarf Kerval Axebreaker and the momentum was lost. 1-0 at the half for the Eastern Conference Champions but it was a keenly fought half. The home side had fumbled three times but the All-Stars just couldn't take advantage. They would have to replicate some of the form they showed in their Week 6 victory to pull out a win against the Best Defense in the league.

Setting up in their unique 3-2-3-3 defensive formation, the Mutineers offered little for the devastating All-Stars blocking unit to attack. Wood Elf Aenarion Swift fielded the kick-off and the now familiar mass push attack of All-Stars rolled into action. With only a 3-man front, there were still plenty of Mutineers standing when the initial surge came to rest. One of those player, Beastman Kotek Gorefest was high enough up the pitch to get into the All-Stars backfield. He came within inches of tackling Aenarion Swift but lost his footing before he could bring the Wood Elf down. The Western Conference team continued to push slowly forward, scattering what opposition they came across. The attack was getting bogged down by a failure to put Mutineers off the pitch. Those players that got hit, did not seem to stay hit. Indeed, Kotek Gorefest was one of those who was able to regain his footing and find an acute angle to get through Aenarion Swift's protective blockers. The Beastman has been one of the unsung heroes of the Mutineers cause during 2003, having the second best qualifying knockdown ratio in the league after team-mate Zzharg Zzhargson. He showed his worth again by lowering his horned head and charging straight into the back of Aenarion Swift. The Wood Elf was stunned, the ball ripped free by the impact and the drive brought to a crashing halt.

As with any halted drive, ownership of the loose ball is key. The All-Stars had two attempts at it through Lineman George Mayson and then Kaneris N'Gillthrog but neither could hold onto it. The decisive play was made by Mutineers Wight Toxix. He blitzed into the pack surrounding the ball and Badly Hurt All-Stars Norseman Samuel Magnusson. The casualty cleared a path to the ball for Toxix and despite having 0 Rushing Attempts in the regular season, the Wight collected the ball successfully and the Mutineers took control of the game. The Rush from Toxix only lasted three yards before it was halted by a fine tackle from Blitzer Jack Hour but the home team had maneouvered themselves into a strong position, the tackle zones were too much for the All-Stars to overcome and they could not get through to the ball. Savogand Thrall stepped through to put the game beyond doubt, he is a powerful weapon for the Mutineers and his pace even allowed time to stall before running in his second touchdown of the game and leave the All-Stars with no chance of a comeback. The remaining play was uneventful and the game ended 2-0 to the Mutineers. They go through to the Final and must be delighted with their performance against the only team to have recorded a win against them throughout the regular season. The All-Stars may be a little disappointed but can consider this to have been an excellent campaign. They just came up short but it was close. Next season, with a little more luck they could find themselves taking that one extra step they need to reach the final.

Injuries: None

Key Stats

Team	CAS	Rush	Blocks	Downs	Stand
Mutineers	3	32	34	27	20
All-Stars	1	16	37	24	11

MVPS: Boa Dicea, Steve Gloid

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