United apprentices receive master Wasp lesson.

Wimbourne Wasps - 680* vs Puddlemere United - 220

	Wasps	United
Keeper	Brookstanton (C)	Wood (C)
Chasers	Pippins	Dingle
	Branstone	Lochrin
	Johnston	Blijk
Beaters	Nutt	Blenkinsop
	Oddpick	Ellesmere
Seeker	Vogler	Kiddell

With all the trials and tribulations of recent weeks, it was a great relief to all to get back to Quidditch this Friday night, extra so given the blockbuster on the cards.

It had taken just three rounds to wheedle thirteen fresh and optimistic start of season units down to a mere three undefeated teams. Two faced off here, with the exciting but not yet entirely proven Puddlemere facing their sternest yet against the benchmark Wimbourne Wasps.

There was little cause for either manager to tinker with their line-ups. United were sweating on the fitness of Nephele Lochrin before the match but the Chaser’s case of dragon pox proved milder than first feared and she took the field. It was a good thing too, for she was back to her best, but there was precious little to write home about for Puddlemere.

Last week Appleby found minor flaws in Puddlemere’s defensive structure, but even the smallest window is enough for the Wasps to slide through with ease. Lochrin fought the hard fight, while captain Oliver Wood was on the ball again after faltering against the Arrows, but the younger Puddlemere brigade all struggled. The Wasps had the measure of their inexperienced opponents, outclassing them in every facet of the game. It was only the efforts of Wood which kept Wimbourne’s lead within 150 until after three hours had passed. But the match was clearly lost right now as far as Puddlemere were concerned.

Dougal Blenkinsop and Gunther Ellesmere are two of the world’s most exciting young Beaters, but they received an absolute thorough lesson in brutal but beguiling Bludging from the peerless Gaius Nutt and Erasmus Oddpick. After a quiet start to the season, Jadzia Johnston also hit her strides, working up an insatiable appetite for goals.

As the match wound down its fifth hour, Venus Vogler swept to another spectacular high-speed catch to not just seal an emphatic victory for Wimbourne, but dot the I of what was a fearsome performance. With Vogler, Johnston and Nutt all performing far beyond their level of the first three rounds, there truly remains no discernible fracture in the Wasps’ nest.

Puddlemere were undoubtedly out of their depth, but so will most teams be against such an onslaught. It remains to be seen whether Wood, Lochrin and the assorted children can make a meaningful challenge this year.

Wimbourne Wasps - 680: Johnston 25, Pippins 15, Branstone 13, Vogler Capture

Puddlemere United - 220: Lochrin 9, Blijk 9, Dingle 4

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: GAIUS NUTT (WASPS)