LRR Rising Stars 112 – Tiger Bay Brawlers 73
Growling out of Cardiff, Tiger Bay Brawlers are yet another team of young upstarts breaking their way into the ‘derby scene. Before they’ve even started, they’ve won bonus points for the team strip – bright orange tiger-print mini-dresses? Brilliant, how has no-one come up with that one before! Ahem, yes, anyway.
Setting out against the Rockin’ Rollers reserve team, nerves are on show from the start tonight – taking on an established team on an unknown track is never going to be easy. Especially given that today the floor at York Hall is extra slippery having been treated just that morning, taking everyone by surprise, and many off their wheels. The Brawlers dive into it with great spirit, though LRR press the home advantage from the off and start racking up the points.
As we go into the second period, the Brawlers start to look like making a comeback, but this is quickly – and mercilessly – crushed. Nevertheless, some noteworthy jamming from Crash Bandicute and team captain BB Bombshell, who is speedy on those long legs, ignoring the usual drawbacks of the taller jammer. 112 to 73 is a perfectly respectable score for the relative newcomers, and with wins against Bristol Harbour Harlotts and Midlands veterans Birmingham Blitz Dames under their belts, they’re not to be ignored in the future.
LRR All Stars 172 – Leeds Roller Dolls 31
After a pretty decent half time show from Lucifer Star Machine (well done on still playing Pussy Champagne at a family event… I think) battling the unforgiving acoustics by just being louder, we’re on to the main event. Having lost when they hosted Rockin’ Rollers last year, Leeds come to London with revenge in mind tonight.
Both teams are veterans enough to know the play and tactics well, and it’s a very tight and defensive start, matching up evenly in their stubborn determination to give no ground to the other. Also no doubt wary of slippery track, the pack is slow and it’s a real challenge for either side to get a jammer through, giving barely 15 points a side for the first ten minutes or so.
But with two teams as fiery as these, it’s only a matter of time before one snaps, and it’s the Leeds Roller Dolls who blow first. Sadly for them though, this doesn’t get them the points they needed, just a string of jammer penalties, leaving the track open for LRR to get into the lead. Not that LRR were saints on this bout either – more than once both jammers got sent off at the same time, leaving the ref’s scratching their heads as to who to let back on.
When given the chance though, LRR took it, and after a few jams with no opposition, soon built up an insurmountable lead. Which is a shame regardless of which side you support, because a one-sided game can get boring very quickly. I have to admit I thought we’d get more from Leeds having seen them bout in the past, but I get the feeling by the end of the first period, they’d given up. Perhaps its bad sportswomanship, I don’t know, but what they needed was to throw caution into the wind and get out there and crack some heads, regardless of the penalties – god knows they were suffering from them enough already.
Still, a resounding thrashing by the Rockin’ Rollers, which as a second win of the night can only boost their standing and confidence. Special mentions are deserved I think for LRR’s Sin D Doll for cutting through the pack with ease and building that obscene points difference, and for Leeds’ Iola Rolla purely for sheer arm flailing aggression!
London Rockin’ Rollers return for their first intraleague bout of the season on May 1st
Tiger Bay Brawlers bout again on April 16th in Newport
Leeds Roller Dolls host The Great Yorkshire Showdown on April 1st in Huddersfield
