With a little help from the fans, did DD get the better of the Diciples, and has thus revenged last seasons defeat.
All three niggling players showed up in the fine weather but only 69 k fans, much less than DD has become used to after two record gates this season. But the 49 k DD fans must have been the hard core fans (holigans?), because they managed to make it into their game.
Already at the first kick-off by DD's Brill did the fans invade the pitch running along the LoS stunning both Bull Centauers, along with two Dwarfs and finally KOing a third dwarf.
Although Diciples tried to get even, by first letting the Minotauer Wroar loose on Xorn BHing him, and then fouling another zombie, they did not have enough players standig to guard the ball when Maitos picked it up. And it lay close to LoS after a perfect kick-off.
Hence it was easy for DD to reach the ball holder, but when a skellie almost stumbled on his way, DD decided only to cover Maitos rather than going for the blitz. Instead Argos fouled back and BH Bull Khakhistos. This was, however, spotted by the ref, who send him off along with an enraged Necromancer Kynde. In general it seemed the ref had decided to overlook any fouls made by Diciples (and it was a few during the match) but he noticed DD's first and only (hcp bribe ref for Diciples = 1 free call from the ref each half).
Another KO in turn 2 left DD somewhat short on players, but a bad block by remaining bull Keltharos Jr. (who lacked the block skill at least 4 times in the match) had stolen the team RR and then Maitos failed his dodge and the ball was free on the ground.
Next turn Eata Corpus blitzed The Green Ghost free (after RR on double skull), and ran down pitch out of reach, and then The Green Ghost picked up the ball with his sure hands and passes the ball. Another KO removed the last of 3 zombies from the pitch, but when Morkan Lokas tried to reach the closest of the Ghouls he fell and fractued his arm.
Hence the pitch was clear and Eata Corpus scored for 0-1 in turn 3.
For second drive DD only just managed to field 11 players, but for quite a while it seemed good enough to prevent the TD. A fantastic move by Lex Liche saw him dodge and then go for it twice, to flatten blodging ball carier Lithgor one dice with his tackle abilities. But the ball bounced into two TZ and was not picked up. In the end the dwarfs managed to free the ball, and before the last turn, they had Maitos running down pitch with the ball, and the closest DD players were well guarded. A double 1 on a go for it by Ramses the 5th, left Maitos free to tie the game 1-1 at the end of first half.
But the TD was first made after Diciples had pushed The Green Ghost into the crowd, and this turned out to be a bad ide. The many DD fans recived their hero gently leading him to the dugout for next half. But this was too much for the fans ontop of the tieing TD, the fouling and the ref throwing Argos and Necromancer Kynde off. The enraged crowd made a huge riot which held up the game for half of second half.
Finally DD could recive the ball and begin the attack. This was, however, stopped in it's tracks when first S. Finxter was BH in a foul by Malik and then Maitos managed to stay put when blitzed by Ramses the 5th who had almost stumbled just to reach him, Hence that way for the TD was closed this turn.
A change of site could have been fatal for DD, but when Keltharos Jr. tried to reach ball carrier The Green Ghost for a blitz even his sure feets could not keep him from falling. Then the road was cleared by DD who almost stunned all Diciples players down pitch that turn. A nice completion then saw the ball with Mad Max close to the EZ. And no dwarf or hobie were in reach.
But wait... DD had almost forgotten Minotauer Wroar who by pushing it trwice might even frenzy Mad Max into the crowd! But first he had to dodge away from Ramses the 5th and even with leader Zhartas the Black lying on the pitch he manged to fall over. Hence Mad Max could procede to scored the winning TD in the dying seconds of the match. 1-2.
the two MVP went to player nr. 8 on each team. Especially the fact that Xorn got it for DD was strange as he was BH in turn 1 and failed to regenerate. Neither team learned new skills.
The low gate meant that only 10 vs 30 k was earned, and although some of the few Diciples fans left it did not help to increase DD's fan factor.
For DD it was a very important game, and by winning they have now ensured their place in the play-off, weares it was less important for Diciples who already were sure to move on.
However, with this defeat they are only one TD ahead of DD, and are no longer sure of remaning ahead of DD in Group B.
