[Nogrod]

GROUP F at Shire

Football-fever had totally taken the hobbits of the Shire even though some wondered whether any normal hobbit could take such a dose of strangers and big folk. And not just any big folks but great human heroes and yes, Valar themselves! And with the Valar attending the games, there would be so much more interest towards this group it would draw elves, dwarves, humans and all kind of beasts from all around the Middle-Earth just to get a glimpse of those great dwellers of the West.

“There is never lack of food in a hobbit’s table”, that goes without saying. But that was a second issue some were a bit worried. What hordes of guests would arrive? There was no hope getting catering help from Bree as they were hosting a group as well. And in no circumstance should the interval between meals grow longer than a few hours. That would destroy their reputation as decent hobbits.

Already a few days before the games finally started it was clear there had never been such crowds in Shire in its history. But happily the food-problem got a solution, even if it was a surprising one. When the Valar-team arrived, it had ten shiploads of Western food as a token of good will and a gift to the organisers. Some cynics surely remarked – around the tables of the Green Dragon - that it was mainly because that way they could stick to their own familiar diet as they surely were too dandy to eat plain good hobbit-food.

But those remarks were forgotten at the great gathering on the eve of the games where all of the Valar players and their followers attended and praised the festive dinner the hobbits had made for them, all seven courses of them! The success of the opening dinner, serving for all the thousands of guests, was the thing that got even the grumpiest hobbits to think the games a great idea. Well, not everyone, but the most…

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The first game was one between Dorthonion and Edoras. When the Dorthonion team walked into the renovated arena of the Michel Delving the shine and glory of the old human and elven lords from Dorthonion just made the hobbits gasp. But the entrance of the Edoras team was no lesser. It was a moment for many a hobbit to remember the rest of their lives. All the other crowds packed to the arena were thrilled as well, the total of thirty thousand of them. What a game it would be! And what a feast there would be after it (thought the hobbits)!

To the football enthusiasts the game of Dorthonion was a great disappointment. Where was Barahir’s ability to save the day? Where was the sturdiness of Finarfin’s sons to hold their ground? Where was Bëor the Old’s command to rout the troops around him? Maybe it was the quality of play Edoras produced that made Dorthonion look like a weak side? But whatever it was, it was Edoras’ game, all around the field.

Theoden and the defence before him – led by the two great mearas – was just a way too tough for the elven brothers, or even Barahir to break. And the midfield and the forwards then? It was just a royal performance plain and simple! The three forwards with two younger generation heroes Eowyn and Eomer showed their speed and grace with the ball alongside Eorl himself – and all the kings of old in the midfield seemed to have regained both their youth and glory. That was high quality of play!

It was not that Dorthonion wasn’t creating chances but only that those chances were denied of them – and the quality of chances the Edoras team created were far superior to those of Dorthonion. It was not a game that was played solely in one end of the field, but the number of shots (13-6) and shots on goal (6-2) just tell a lot of it. The quality of play was different.

It was more than fitting that Eorl opened the scoring and that Eowyn closed it. Many elves and men from the past in the audience nodded to that little fact, especially those Valar and Maiar attending. That was Edoras.

But would Dorthonion get it’s act together after this poor start or would it be just “Gorliming” on their behalf for the rest of the tournament? And could Edoras play such a gallant game against a tougher opponent? Those were left to be seen from the opening game.

Dorthonion 0-2 Edoras

shots 6-13
on target 2-6
GOALS:
*23, Edoras (Eorl, Aldor)
*52, Edoras (Eowyn, Eomer)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dorthonion- Gorlim, Bregolas
*Edoras- Brego


If one measures a tournament with the level of home crowd’s enthusiasm, then something like a peak was surely established at Michael Delving-arena when the team Shire walked into the field. After they had seen the earlier two teams in their glory, even the most backward hobbit realised this was something great indeed – and their own boys and girls would walk to that very same arena as well! What a moment!

Although it must be said in all honesty, that the number of hobbits in the audience was less than fourth of the whole crowd. But the guests were gracious enough to give a wild cheer for the home team as well – and as most of them were cognisant of the history they knew they were entitled to it, even if only Samwise Gamgee represented the original fellowship in the team.

But what happened when the Taniquetil team entered the field was just unbelievable. First there was a moment of total silence on behalf of the audience and then the joyous burst of roars and cries of admiration, honour and laughter produced from just the sheer disbelief! It was a dazzling moment. The Valar themselves were there to play to this audience, this evening, right now!

Just football-wise it wasn’t anything one would remember his life through. A short discussion caught by our reporter on the half-hour mark of the game reveals the different stances on it.

A drunken Hobitton-elder (frequenter in the Green Dragon): “Wow, I’ve always said we hobbits are really tough. Now see, even Valar can’t beat us! We’ll win this tournament! You’ll see… let’s have a pint for it?”
A Noldo from the West: “Well, even if you’re a heroic folk as we have heard, just look at this game! Those Valar are just trying not to embarrass you little ones as hosts. They’ll score one goal sooner or later, but being polite they are scared of winning 6-0 straight ahead.”
An age old creature from some dark age millenia before the creation: “Bah, those Valar were never good in physical things they’d had to do themselves – well not counting a few that is. Believe me, they just aren’t up to this…”
Drunken Shireling: “What did you say about the “physical things”? Aren’t all things physical?
A Teleri sitting behind the three: “Ahh, no good trying to enlighten the young hobbit here at this point while the game is on. Just enjoy the game to your fullest my dear hobbit. Your team will be brave and do just fine.”
Age old Creature: “Or the Valar will do just badly, as they always do with earthly things… Eru really didn’t seem to have known better when he chose his team.”
Noldo (suddenly enraged): “Now watch your language, whatever you are!”
Drunken Shireling: “Wow, Bulroarer just hit the post! Go! Shire! Go!"
Teleri (looking at the two others): "Great shot indeed! And the hobbit is right. Now you two let’s concentrate on the game, okay?”

It was indeed astonishing that neither team managed to make any good chances on the first half. It was a great game just for the fact of it being played but the real football-fanatics were down indeed. As a match the first half was just boring, solid defence on both sides but no real risk taken to make a dashing attack on either part or to take any risks whatsoever.

Whatever view one would have picked from the discussion revealed there earlier, it seemed to all that the inevitable finally happened at the first minutes of the second half. The lady of the stars herself put the ball into the Shire net. Samwise had performed quite well, but Thorondor’s bluff was just magnamious and Sam was already flying to a totally different direction when the King of the Eagles still passed the ball on to Varda who had an easy job putting it in.

After that it looked like the Taniquetil team really locked their game intending to give the hosts no chance of equalising. It looked definitively like 1-0 for a long time as Taniquetil controlled the situation beautifully.

But suddenly Halbarad managed to steal the ball in the midfield from Taniquetil’s lowest defenders passing the ball to each other and made a forward run along the left side of the field. The highly priced defence of Taniquetil was in disbelief just a second too much. Este and Yavanna did not rush back immediately, believing that Nessa (who was deeper down) and Vana (who lost the ball) would be able to take care of him as they were the nearest and they were two who lost the ball - it would be a question of honor taking back the ball they lost. But when they saw Bullroarer Took making an incredible dash past them they were awakened. But too late. Jusat a second or two too late.

Halbarad got rid of Nessa with a nice dribble in full speed and was able to pass the ball past Vana diagonally backwards to Bullroarer who had an easy job finishing the goal, with Este and Yavanna breathing on his back but just a meter behind.

What happened was a one-time experience. The majority of the crowd was just too astonished to make a sound but was drawing a deep breath to just realise what had happened. But the hobbits! They were just making noise enough like a full stadium was rejoicing. And when slowly the main part of the audience joined the cheers for the goodwill of it - and of course praising the great performance of Halbarad and Bullroarer, the noise soon became just unbearable enough that people had to tone down just for their own good! That didn’t include the hobbits who just went wild to the end!

After the game there were mainly two topics discussed in the pubs, taverns and makeshift licenced premises. Where hobbits gathered together they discussed whether the hobbits were after all as strong as the Valar themselves and many a pint was consumed. In places where some more knowledgeable people, elves or creatures gathered, they discussed whether Eru had sent the Taniquetil team a message with Bullroarer’s goal and they had submitted to it or whether they just couldn’t play football at all.


Shire 1-1 Taniquetil

shots 7-8
on target 2-3
GOALS:
*49, Taniquetil (Varda, Thorondor)
*83, Shire (Bullroarer, Halbarad)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Shire- Lobelia, Ted
*Taniquetil- Lorien