The first ever international sporting fixture involving representatives of The Kytler Peninsulae would leave most of the population forgiven for thinking that this sporting malarkey isn't worth all the pain and anguish.
Leading 6-3 after the first quarter and 12-10 after the third, then trailing 14-12, "Team KP" rallied to 15-15 with three trademark thunderbolts from Caine McNally, who finished the game with six goals. Then a last-gasp attack from the Cotdelapoms side - of whom very little is known, as their squad list had not been published at the start of the tournament - led to a shot which crept past Walter Smith's flailing body and in. 16-15, and no time to respond. It was the highest-scoring game of the tournament to date, and Team KP had lost it by the odd goal in thirty-one.
It all looked so different early on. KP looked the more determined team, perhaps unsurprisingly given the circumstances, and harried Cotdelapoms players off the ball with ease, although a few too many fouls were conceded. Sze-Ying Chan was particularly busy, covering the whole field effectively to create chances for McNally and the Vephra-Aboriginal attacker Ock Fils. Cotdelapoms rallied in the second quarter with a direct, aggressive approach on offense, pulling the half-time margin to 9-8. The third quarter was a breather in comparison to the frantic pace of the second, though two goals from Fils in the last two minutes gave KP a valuable two-goal margin. That is, of course, before the four-goal Cotdelapoms rally at the start of the fourth - four goals in five minutes without reply - and the nerve-shredding end-to-end barrage that followed.
It was a very good advertisement for lacrosse. Either the best or the worst possible endorsement for watching this country's international sporting baptism, which continues with a home game at Roddens University Field next, against a Monfortia side destroyed 21-5 by a highly experienced Delaclava team earlier in the day in the other Group 8 fixture. "We did all we could, and maybe we did a little too much in that first half," admitted coach Contrope Prorim. "I'm proud of my team's heart and mental ability, the goal being conceded was just what happens - we don't play this game in a movie or anything after all." He says that having watched the Delaclava-Monfortia match, he thinks that "Monfortia should not prove too much of a problem," adding confidently; "I didn't even think Delaclava played well by their standards, but they still won by a huge margin, so we should expect a similar outcome."
Given how exciting this game of lacrosse was, a sell-out in Roddens is expected, which it previously was not. Maybe it was a good endorsement for watching sport. Cotdelapoms come to Roddens on matchday four. Anyone for another 16-15 home win?
