Magnificant Magpies savour sweet revenge

Montrose Magpies - 610* vs Tutshill Tornados - 280

Magpies vs Tornados

	Magpies	Tornados
Keeper	Wintringham	Stainwright (C)
Chasers	Keitch (C)	MacFarlan
	MacLean	Entwistle
	MacTavish	Birch
Beaters	Moriattis	Jenkins
	Ollerton	Fitzpatrick
Seeker	Abberley	Muntz

On July 3 2011 the Tutshill Tornados defeated the Montrose Magpies to become British and Irish Quidditch Champions. Now, eight long months later, it was time for retribution. It was telling that the Magpies entered this match with a starting seven identical to the one which lost last year’s Grand Final, a sign of both faith to turn the result around, and all important continuity. The Tornados had lost retired Chaser Humphrey Harrison and Beater Justin Moriattis (transferred to the Prides), with Entwistle and Fitzpatrick strangers to the Grand Final line-up.

This seemingly minor fact was, in hindsight, a telling omen for the Tornados, who struggled from the offset to match the Magpies’ intensity or tactical nous. Tutshill were only ever so slightly flat, but it was all Montrose needed in a display of quality Quidditch rarely seen even throughout their successful 2011.

Every player on every team in the League must have shifted very nervously in their seats as they watched the Magpies’ barely comprehensible offensive structures. Royden Keitch and and Farquhar MacLean’s blinding speed was matched only by Mulciber Moriattis and Zachariah Ollerton’s unique ultra-offensive forward Beater positions.

The Magpies’ iconic attacking gameplay allowed the Tornados enough free goals to make the margin appear flattering. But in truth this was as dominant a display as you could ever expect any team to put up over such quality opposition.

Tutshill’s only hope was that they would, as expected, slowly play back into the contest as the hours passed and the Magpies fatigued. Entering the fourth hour Montrose’s lead was still narrowly under 150. But this moment never came. The Magpie intensity never wavered and it was the Tornados’, primarily Alaricus Jenkins and Salvatrix MacFarlan, whose games clearly faltered. Consequently, Allison Abberley was not quite as vital a cog as predicted, but she was no less impressive, once again clasping a snitch in the most unlikely of positions, diving between the legs of her Keeper.

For the reigning champions, the fundamentals are good but there is clearly work to do. For the Magpies, League Cup triumph awaits if they can maintain such a high level.

Montrose Magpies - 610: MacLean 20, MacTavish 14, Keitch 12, Abberley Capture

Tutshill Tornados - 280: Birch 23, Entwistle 3, MacFarlan 2

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: ROYDEN KEITCH (MAGPIES)