Catapults outfire courageous Cannons

Caerphilly Catapults - 540* vs Chudley Cannons - 150

	Catapults	Cannons
Keeper	Hitchin	Trimble (C)
Chasers	Denison	Munch
	MacMillan	Pringle
	Fittleworth	Rumstich
Beaters	Lofthouse (C)	Buttermere
	Limus	Wiggleswoth
Seeker	Rackharrow	Dorkins

Yet more restfulness controversy abound. The Caerphilly Catapults are hardly a Quidditch powerhouse.  Their season has been moderately successful, beyond the expectations of most pundits, but their Top Eight position was not yet mathematically secured (although all but assured as only the disorderly Puddlemere United could remove them.)

Yet the Chudley Cannons are considered such an unthreatening opponent that still manager Alwyn Arianrhod felt confident enough to rest six of his starting seven last week, retaining only the captain, Asgeir Lofthouse.

Verity Yap made two changes for the Cannons, reinstalling Angus Pringle and Flora Wigglesworth in place of Alannis Bell and Robin Ramkin. It was Wigglesworth, along with her Beater partner Hesper Buttermere, who impressed early, withstanding the rather damp squib that passed for the Catapults offense.

Defensively, Caerphilly were not threatened by the power and speed lacking Cannons, but the all new Chaser line-up struggled to get the score moving. Only Ralph Denison had played this year from the Catapults’ Chaser trio. He had been dropped because of poor form, but at least he had game time unlike Enid MacMillan and Odila Fittleworth. Denison was spirited, dominating the physical contest, but the trio were flat and uninspired, slowly but surely building a narrow lead which was far from snitch safe.

To their credit though, the Cannons did play better than usual, their opponent’s strength notwithstanding. Buttermere and Wigglesworth were more than a match for the Catapults’ Chasers, while Angus Pringle’s inclusion as a second male Chaser finally provided Xanthus Munch the back-up he needed to show his true skill.

In truth though, the Catapults were always well in control of the scorecard, despite their snail pace. Asgeir Lofthouse and the unlucky Scott Limus, getting his first start of the year, made the biggest difference. Limus ended Pringle’s night with a Bludger to the head, while Lofthouse brilliantly aided his struggling Chasers, helping them to gain confidence and increase their scoring rate as the match passed.

By the end of the fourth fairly tedious hour, Caerphilly were home safe, but Rhiaian Rackharrow was not going to waste his chance in the sun, decisively catching the snitch and sealing a scratchy victory, but more importantly, booking the young Catapults a spot in the finals.

Caerphilly Catapults - 540: Denison 23, Fittleworth 11, MacMillan 5, Rackharrow Capture

Chudley Cannons - 150: Munch 10, Pringle 5

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: ASGEIR LOFTHOUSE (CATAPULTS)