Dolly Rockits see off lively Birds – Blocky Horror bout review

The DRR Allstars picked up their first home win of the season on Saturday, beating the Liverpool Roller Birds 308-124 after a first-half blitz put the game out of reach.

DRR used their jamming options to good effect, with eight players getting on the scoreboard for the Leicester team, including a massive 146 point haul for England skater Rogue Runner. The win takes the Allstars to a won two, lost two open-door bout record for 2012 and sets them up well for May’s upcoming away games at Big Bucks and Brighton.

Consistent scoring peppered with some huge powerjams saw DRR lead from start to finish, although Liverpool’s gutsy second half display showed they have plenty of potential in their own right.

Liverpool made a bright start, their blockers walling up in front of Gob Stop’Her long enough to let Daria Dynamiteout for lead on the first jam, but DRR’s offence seemed to get the measure of their pack quickly and were able to score unanswered points on the next few plays.

The first significant breakthrough for the Dollies came after around eight minutes, Nitro Noush using a DRR pack advantage to good effect and taking 25 points to produce a 46-3 scoreline.

More four and five point scores followed for the Allstars as their pack worked to keep Liverpool’s jammers in their pockets, and two Total Freyhem powerjams minutes later saw the Dollies’ lead extend to 98 points.

Liverpool showed they still had a sting in their tail when Daria went 10-9 with Gob Stop’Her to increase their point tally to 14, but they conceded a jammer penalty shortly afterwards. Rogue Runner took the resulting powerjam and showed why she was selected as a European Allstar a few days before the game, scoring a massive 35 points in one play to set a new DRR single-jam record. At around 25 minutes gone the scores stood at 155-14.

The Birds needed to shake things up to prevent a blowout, and they took the opportunity as the first half closed out. Two DRR jammer penalties in a row saw a total of 24 Liverpool points across the last three jams of the half, leaving the half time standings at 158-38.

Liverpool’s pack came out for the second half determined to stop the Allstars from having it all their own way, and the change was remarkable. A half-time switch from big hitting defence to back-to-basics walls worked wonders, as the Birds used their pack strength to muscle Pandora Peroxide, String Her Belle and Cub La Khan in for lead on the opening jams of the second period and chip away at the Dollies’ advantage.

Although 45 points in two jams for Rogue all but ended any hopes of a Liverpool victory shortly afterwards, the Birds’ resurgence continued. The second half was a much more even contest, with Cub La Khan and String Her Belle trading off points with Rogue, Freyham and Onya Case as the period went on.

By the mid point of the half both teams were starting to concede regular jammer penalties and it was DRR’s powerjam unit that made the most of their chances, as Rogue and Li’l Crash again posted big scores. That left the magic 300 point target a distinct possibility for the Dollies at eight minutes left to go and the score at 278-79.

In the end the Leicester team would get to 300 points, with the peerless Rogue breaking that barrier on the third-to-last jam, but the closing part of the game was all about Liverpool. Despite being almost 200 points down the Birds enjoyed their best period of the bout in the last few plays, Corey Maim and String Her Belle scoring 34 points between them as the Dollies gave away some careless penalties.

Both teams could take plenty of positives from the game. The DRR Allstars smashed their win margin and points scored records and avoided any mishaps against a tricky opponent, while Liverpool’s composed second half display and ability to keep their heads up showed they have what it takes to compete against experienced opposition.

The event also featured the first ever men’s roller derby game to be played in Leicester. London’s Southern Discomfort took on the Cocked Tails, a mixed team of skaters from around the Midlands and North, and were made to fight to the end for their 268-182 win.

DRR’s next bout is away to the Big Bucks High Rollers, on May 5th at High Wycombe Sports Centre.