Scarbringer Savages 1-3 Junior Wildmen

Weather: Drizzle

Gate: 32k

After fairly disappointing seasons from both teams in 2003, attendance for the re-run of the final game of last season for the two sides who failed to make the playoffs was down by 4,000. This can't have been due to the weather as the drizzle that covered the game last time out was present again. For the Savages this was a chance to show that they have improved since last year and that they are a real threat despite having not won a match since their victory over the All-Stars on the 16th August 2003. The Wildmen will be looking to improve on their performance last year where they missed out on a slot in the post season by 1 point despite picking up the biggest win of 2003 at home to the Savages. The Wildmen can also look to 2003 Player of the Year Speedy McSpeedy as a potential lynchpin to a successful campaign.

The home side won a disputed coin toss and elected to receive. The Wildmen put up an extremely aggressive front-loaded defense with strength on both flanks. Savages fans have been talking up their new quick strike offense and it was clear from the moment that team captain "Fur" Tooth fielded the kick-off that the Savages were aiming to be more dynamic in their attacking this season. A hefty hit from Dark Elf Blitzer Sirius opened up a channel on the right flank, "Fur" Tooth spotted it immediately. Instead of holding back and drawing in the hit as had happened many times in 2003, the Skaven Thrower offloaded quickly. The spiral was perfect, bang on target for top Krush pick Veh'nomm to reel it in and show why he merited his high first round selection. Veh'nomm failed, perhaps it was too soon for the Rat Ogre to be put under pressure to perform but his first action as a pro Blood Bowl player was to put down an easy reception. While a dynamic offense may be more popular with fans and some pundits, it also leaves more room for individual errors to bring a drive to a crashing halt.

While the ball was down, it was not entirely loose. The Savages still had greater control over it than the Wildmen as they had players around the ball, shielding it from the Wildmen as they recovered from the drop. Mr Wildman the team captain and Troll Blocker created enough of a gap in that shield for Speedy McSpeedy to push through. Ordinarily, an attempt to gather in a ball under such pressure would be called audacious but it was the norm for Speedy last season, a year which included a record 5 touchdowns at home to these Savages last year. For all that, the action was too much even for the future Hall of Famer who could not gather the ball in cleanly. An audible sigh of relief passed round the home support but it soon turned to despair. Stinky the Skink took up possession, dodged away from Speedy and passed out to second round pick Lobo La'Grange. The pass was on target but just as with Veh'nomm the rookie could not take advantage. Another drop but this time it left the ball closer to the Wildmen than it did to the Savages. Two consecutive dropped passes and neither the fault of the passer must have had the coaching staff tearing their hair out. The quick strike, short range passing game that the Savages have been working on in the off-season had failed its first test due to poor catching.

For their part, the Wildmen were having difficulty in taking advantage. The drizzling conditions should have proved no problem for seasoned Blood Bowl players but Lineman Brian O'Hanrahanrahan found them too treacherous as he fumbled a straightforward pick-up. The Savages could just not get their game going at all though. Despite the fumble, they completely lost the initiative when Stinky the Skink was tripped up while trying to snatch the ball back. The Wildmen would not miss a third opportunity. Amazon Thrower Lisa Furykup stepped in to take possession, find a passing angle and launch a short pass to Speedy McSpeedy. The High Elf superstar showed the Savages how it was done, calmly bringing the ball under control and turning towards the Savages end zone with his trademark pace. There was no-one from the home team capable of catching Speedy in full flight as he opened his account for 2004 and announced the Wildmen's 2004 challenge for a post-season berth. One player who didn't join in the celebrations was Minotaur Horny Wildman who spent the remainder of the half indisposed. It is not clear if foul play was afoot but the leading inflictor of Casualties last season was clearly under par and complaining of food poisoning.

The second drive was even worse for the home team. "Fur" Tooth again took possession following the kick-off but this time elected not to make the quick pass. The Wildmen took advantage of this through skullduggery. Brian O'Hanrahanrahan unleashed a stink bomb right at the hapless Skaven Thrower. "Fur" Tooth collapsed to the ground and the ball rolled free from his grasp while he fought to withstand the stench. Once again it was Speedy McSpeedy who was first to the ball. Showing that he doesn't mind battling through some of the dirtier aspects of the game, Speedy swooped in to claim possession and struck towards the goal line. No Savages players could put a hand on the High Elf though defensive cover meant that there was some pressure to face. Speedy doesn't seem to mind physical play and blitzed his way through for his second score of the game. Speedy was top scorer in 2003 with 12 touchdowns and it looks like it will be a difficult task for anyone to prevent him from retaining that award.

At 2-0 up the Wildmen were not relaxing for the remainder of the first half. There was little time for any meaningful action but there was still time for some violence. The Savages struck first with a huge hit from Veh'nomm as the Rat Ogre showed the watching crowd some of the potential that the scouts had spotted in him. The unfortunate recipient was Norseman Arse who was Badly Hurt by the blow. The visitors were not deterred at all and revenge was swift. Amazon Thrower Lisa Furykup picked up her first ever Casualty by injuring High Elf Lineman Mithdithius. This hit was followed up by a tackle from Speedy McSpeedy on Stinky the Skink which ended even the faintest of hopes for a score before half-time. The first half had gone as well as the Wildmen could have hoped. The Savages game plan was imploding thanks to poor handling and it meant that the game was being played in their half. With such a dangerous scoring threat as Speedy McSpeedy, the Wildmen cannot be given the chances that the Savages served up during the first half and the 2-0 scoreline was a strong reflection on the balance of play.

No team has ever come back from 2-0 down though the Wildmen were involved in a 2-2 draw against the Mugaz early on in the 2003 season. Lord Bastardo and the Wildmen coaching staff were clearly confident of their chances as they elected not to bring Speedy McSpeedy on for the second period. This provided an opportunity for other players to gain some of the limelight and for Speedy to be rested ahead of important games to come. The Savages kicked-off the second half in a most unusual manner. The ball was launched viciously at Treeman Woody Wildman which caused it to spiral high into the sky. Wildmen Catcher Mr Cock Knocker waited patiently for it to land while play went on about him. The Savages had put up a similar defensive formation to the one that faced them in the first half but they were not able to follow it up by applying physical pressure to the offense. When the ball finall landed, Knocker found a gap in the front line and ran as fast as he could towards the end zone. With no deep cover whatsoever, the Savages were forced to track back but they were up against a stronger line and could not break away. No-one was able to get close to Mr Cock Knocker who ran in the simplest of scores in rapid time to put the Wildmen 3-0 up.

Despite the scoreline, the Savages were determined to stick to plan 'A'. This time round instead of it being "Fur" Tooth who made the pass, it was Stinky and this time the pass stuck. Lobo La'Grange making one stick for a change and finding open space in front of him. The Wildmen's aggressive formation seems more vulnerable without Horny Wildman to bolster it but even so, it must have been some relief for the Savages to finally string a pass together and put themselves clear of the defense. The Wildmen didn't even bother tracking back. Lobo La'Grange picked up the first Savages score of 2004 but just as in the fixture last year it was a consolation touchdown.

Though there was still time for a dramatic comeback, the Wildmen appeared to be more concerned with experimentation. Halfling Shrimp was brought onto the field and fielded the kick-off. It appeared that the little fellow was heading for the protection of the blocking unit but Woody Wildman the Treeman picked the Halfling up and promptly dropped him back down on his head. Pundits are still debating the point of this play but the Halfling fumbled the ball on impact with the turf and a scramble ensued. A series of failed attempts to pick up the ball stalled any effective plays by both sides and time ran out before either could make a serious attempt for another score.

3-1 to the Junior Wildmen is an encouraging start for them but they have still only ever managed one clean sheet and that was during their 5-0 demolition of the Savages last year. They will have to develop some defensive strategy if they are to be serious contenders to win the tournament but their scoring prowess means they are likely to be in the running for a post-season slot this year. The Scarbringer Savages will be disappointed by their start to the 2004 campaign. Last time these two sides met it was 2-1 to the Wildmen so they have gone backwards rather than forwards in comparison to their Conference rivals. Their offensive strategy is certainly more dynamic than it has been in the past and they clearly pose a greater scoring threat if they can hook it all together but they will probably need to develop a plan 'B' for those times when something goes wrong.

Injuries:

None

Key Stats

Team	CAS	Rush	Blocks	Downs	Fumbles
Savages	1	37	23	6	5
Wildmen	1	44	4	23	4

MVPS: "Fur" Tooth, Mr Wildman

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