Greens v Gamblers Match Report

        The Las Vegas Gamblers squared off against the Mojave Greens twice this past Saturday. On a day where the temperature was perfect and the winds swirled like a hurricane, the two squads got to play two 9a-side games. Both matches resulted in a victories for the Gamblers winning 79-26 the first match and 89-29 the second match. The Greens were in town at the Regimental Ball celebrating their return from Iraq (Thank God for the men and women who serve this country in the military) and wanted to have a kick with us. It is always a fun match when these two squads hook up and the Greens appeared to be dangerous with the tons of athleticism on the team.

       In the first game, the Gamblers lost the toss and the Greens decided to take the wind in the second half. That allowed the Gamblers to get off to a big start and took the pressure off of the backline who boomed kicks out of the backfield. Field position was a lot tougher to come by in the second half and the Greens came hard at us. With only one sub for the Gamblers, we got all the running we wanted. It was a good win because we were breaking in a new ruckman and still were able to control the middle. The backline locked down any threats as most of the Green’s kicks for goal were the result of penalties due to our players still learning the rules

         The second game was closer in the first half but ultimately the few experienced players on the Gamblers wreaked too much havoc for the young Greens. A couple of guys who could not make for the first game, showed for the second and that allowed more substitution and fresh legs on the field.

         The event was a success as the Gamblers played three brand new players and three more with less than five games experience. The Greens also played a handful of new players. Both should benefit largely from doing so in the long run. The Gamblers showed big improvements from the first three games they played in. The were several end to end sequences that involved six or so of the nine players on the field so there is a lot to feel good about on this team. Additionally, there were a handful of new fans in attendance showing signs of growing interest in the support.

      The Gamblers want to extend a special thanks to David Payne for umpiring the entire event. He did a fantastic job calling a tight game. Tight games are crucial early for young clubs so that all the new players learn the rules and how to adhere to them.

- Jeremiah Cain
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