Building Harpies unravel United

Holyhead Harpies - 690* vs Puddlemere United - 280

	United	Harpies
Keeper	Wood (C)	Weatherwax
Chasers	Dingle	Glossop (C)
	Lochrin	Gladstone
	Blijk	Birchgrove
Beaters	Blenkinsop	Tolipan
	Ellesmere	Samuels
Seeker	Kiddell	Bloch

Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies have a lot in common. Both are young energetic teams, capable of greatness, but prone to bouts of indifference. But if last week is any indication, the more experienced Harpies have something extra in reserve for the pressure situation.

Quidditch is all about confidence and momentum. On paper the skills lists look evenly matched, but from the very first play it was clear that the Holyhead Harpies had this match as good as won. Their dominance in each area was minute, but it was enough across the board.

Puddlemere’s game is all about two things these days: the unbuyable experience of Keeper Oliver Wood, and the vibrancy of the attacking young Chasers. But every other area left too much to be desired.

The Quidditch lesson Puddlemere received at the hands of the Wasps last week clearly had long lasting effect. It was disappointing to see such genuinely talented Beaters as Dougal Blenkinsop and Gunther Ellesmere so sapped of confidence after being roundly dominated by Wimbourne’s League-leading Beaters. Talulah Tolipan and Glynis Samuels, although sound, can respectively be said to not set the world alight in comparison. But they were comfortably the more assured Beater unit against the stumbling and bumbling Blenkinsop and Ellesmere.

Oliver Wood’s brilliance, coupled with the goal-finding abilities of Nephele Lochrin and Alcmene Blijk, kept the first two hours tight and compelling. But United’s Beater weaknesses alone were enough to ensure falling behind. Worse was on offer from their Chasers in defence though. The youthful Blijk lacks nothing in athleticism, but still leaves a lot to be desired in her tactical awareness.

The fraying United defence collapsed under the pressure of Gwenevak Glossop’s brilliant marshalling of what is perhaps the best counter-attack Chaser unit in the League.

Five hours proved enough time to get the Harpies well clear of snitch danger. But given the form of Zelda Block you felt like that wouldn’t matter. On cue, it was Bloch who put the icing on the cake, sealing an impressive 410 point victory, proving that the Harpies are well and truly cured of their early season dramas.

Holyhead Harpies - 690: Glossop 19, Birchgrove 19, Gladstone 16, Bloch Capture

Puddlemere United - 280: Blijk 14, Lochrin 11, Dingle 3

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: GWENEVAK GLOSSOP (HARPIES)