Sharks
bite Barons in bid to get back to best
Solway
Sharks 6
Solihull
Barons 4
With competition in the
NIHL as tight as it is, Solway Sharks faced off against Solihull Barons knowing
that two hard-earned points would allow them to apply pressure to rivals
Billingham Stars and simultaneously stall Barons’ recent progression in the
league. Boosted by their win against Whitley Warriors two weeks ago, there was
no mistaking the Sharks’ game plan and, no sooner had the two teams faced off, than the puck was in the back of Sam Hewitt’s net courtesy of Sharks’ second
highest points scorer Iain Bowie with assists from Joe Coulter and young
forward Duncan Speirs.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The visitors were not
about to let this goal slip by without a response and twenty year old netminder
Kieran Hobbins soon found himself up against Josh Bruce who did not miss his
mark. Solway’s lead having lasted all of nineteen seconds, Martin Grubb found
his side starting from square one. The home side reacted quickly to this
equaliser however, and, after some strong build up play from Steven Moore and
alternate captain Ross Murray, Michael Corbett lit the lamp on 5:38 to grab his
first goal of season.
The Sharks, propelled by
this effort, began to look dangerous in front of goal and, approximately three
minutes later, Michael Corbett managed a second, assisted by Moore and Murray
once more. Perry Doyle’s Barons having shown their determination just last week
against Telford Tigers to come back from a deficit, were not about to give up
yet and the side were rewarded for their efforts, this time in form, two-way
player Thomas Soar slotting home an unassisted shot to take the score line to
3-2.
Any chance of a Barons
comeback was soon hindered though when defenceman Richard Crowe and Slovakian
Tomas Janak were both punished for tripping offences on 10:03. Solway now at an
advantage of five men to Barons’ three, it was little over a minute before
Solway could make a break through on the power play to create a two goal
cushion between themselves and their opponents; Juraj Senko the man of the
moment.
With Crowe still
serving time in the sin bin, Solway could have sought another opportunity to
punish the Barons further, yet it was the shorthanded visitors who were next to
send the puck over the red line as Soar teamed up with Niklas Ottosson to
assist fellow forward Edward Eaton. The scoring over for the first period,
Solway headed in at the break with only a fine margin keeping them in front of
a strong Solihull side.
As both teams resumed
play for the second period, coaches Grubb and Doyle prepared their team with
the knowledge that the game was too close to call at this stage. Looking for
their fourth win of the season, Solway started the middle stanza with the same
display of fervour that they managed in the first and rapidly added another to
their tally through Irishman Stephen Adams.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
This time the Barons
could not find a reply and, as Solway continued to pressure the visiting team,
Marc Fowley extended the Sharks’ lead to 6-3 around the thirty minute mark.
Soon after, events took a turn in a different direction as Murray decided to
drop the gloves with goal scorer Soar. A two-man system operating throughout
the game, officials Steven Wardell and David Emmerson made the joint decision
to hand a penalty of 2+2 to both culprits and a delay followed due to blood on
the ice.
After a few minutes of
ice maintenance, both teams resumed play, now reduced to four against four. The
Barons immediately looked the sharper of the two sides and Josh Bruce
capitalised quickly to slash Solway’s three goal lead, making the score line a
tentative 6-4 seven minutes before the second interval.
As both teams returned
to the ice for the final instalment of the game, it seemed that anything was
possible. With Solway eager to secure their fourth win of the season to move
onto to eight points, and the Barons hoping to turn the score line round, both
teams had their fair share of opportunities, Sharks’ netminder Hobbins
encountering fourteen shots whilst Solihull shot stopper Hewitt kept out nine
of Solway’s attempts at the other end of the ice.
Try as they might,
neither side could grab a goal and, when Solihull were placed
on a power play from a Steven Moore hooking offence, the Barons failed to
narrow the scoring to turn the game around. As time slipped by, the Barons
pulled Hewitt from his goal in a last attempt to change the situation but to no
avail, leaving the score at 6-4.
This now means that
Solway Sharks are only one point behind Billingham Stars and Martin Grubb will
be relieved that his side are gradually creeping back into the points in the
league, though this win will be followed by an NIHL North Cup fixture at
Blackburn which will certainly be a tough test for his side. Solway’s next
league fixtures are consecutive away games against Sheffield Spartans on
Saturday 14th November and Sutton Sting on Sunday 15th
November which, should they win, could help the side to climb the league table and begin to get their 2015-16 season well and truly back on track.
Warriors triumph over short-benched
Spartans
Whitley Warriors 6
Sheffield Spartans 0
A single puck
had not been dropped but the rising tension at Hillheads was visible in the
exchanges made between the Warriors and Spartans players in the early stages of
the warm up. Though both teams were without some of their key players (the Warriors
were missing Alex Lawson, Kyle Hindmarsh Ross, Josh Maddock, Scott Cooper and
Ben Richards through injury), Sheffield’s absences were more noticeable, Spartans
making the trip with only fourteen skaters and netminder Brandon Stones.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
With Sheffield’s form
unpredictable of late, it was the home side who made the better start,
dominating play to score in the first two minutes when creative forward Callum
Watson worked hard to set up team mate Shaun Kippin. Minutes later a second
Warriors effort saw the lamp lit though the puck fired at Brandon Stones. After
some discussion, officials made the decision to rule out the 'goal' but it
mattered little as Harry Harley hit the target just seconds later, assisted by
youngster Callum Queenan and player-coach David Longstaff whose earlier attempt
was disallowed. Having the better share
of possession, the Warriors appeared quick and skilful when on the puck and, less than a minute after their second goal, Whitley managed a third, this time
Watson and Kippin working together to send DJ Good in on goal. Punished by the
Warriors on the attack, the Spartans found it difficult to pose a threat to
Richie Lawson and create opportunities of their own so it was no surprise when
Whitley lit the lamp to make it 4-0 on 6:24 as Queenan showed his capabilities
in front of goal courtesy of Longstaff and captain Jamie Tinsley.
Before the period was
over, both teams ran into penalty trouble, Watson earning himself two minutes
in the sin bin for slashing, Andre Payette receiving the same punishment for a
cross check and Spartans’ bench incurring a minor penalty for icing too many
men which was served by forward Will Barron. Though these penalties could
easily have proved costly, neither side could advance on the power play,
Whitley working hard to run down the clock and Sheffield defending strongly to
prevent the concession of further goals before the period came to an end.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
With a four goal
deficit to reduce, Sheffield needed to start the second period with a goal but
it was the Warriors who added to their tally on 23:53 as a shot from defender
Craig Johnson found its way to Longstaff who did not hesitate to make it 5-0.
Though Warriors once again found themselves shorthanded, referee Steven
Wardell sending Dean Holland, who is gradually making his return to Whitley’s line
up after injury, to the sin bin for boarding, Spartans could not capitalise on the power
play.
Soon after, the
Spartans found themselves one man down as Scott Morris was made to warm a seat
in the sin bin for hooking but the Warriors failed to extend their lead,
instead finding themselves penalised with Kippin guilty of elbowing on 28:23.
Just sixteen seconds after returning to full strength, Whitley then conceded
further penalty minutes as enforcer Payette was again made to serve time for
cross checking. Longstaff’s side defended extremely well to ensure the visitors
did not grab a goal but, for the second time in the space of six minutes, the
Warriors returned back to five men only to be reduced to four, Watson the culprit
on this occasion. As a result, the Warriors’ offensive play was greatly
inhibited by their need to defend several consecutive power plays but the side
showed that they were more than capable of producing the same quality in
defence as they do when going forward and netminder Richie Lawson also made
some powerful saves to keep the Spartans out of the game.
The middle section over
at 5-0, both sides returned for the final stanza and Whitley took possession of
the puck in the opening stages, leaving the dejected Spartans to defend.
Sheffield’s work was all in vain though and, conceding in the first four
minutes of play for a third consecutive period, the visitors sensed that any
chance of salvaging the game had passed long before. It was Warriors’ captain
Tinsley who slotted home Whitley’s sixth and final goal of the evening with a
single assist from hardworking Payette. Goal scoring
opportunities fizzing past both netminders at either ends of the ice, Whitley
youngster Liam Smedley sought a way through Spartans defence only to suffer the
wrath of Sheffield’s alternate captain Stephen Weeks.
This outburst
infuriated the experienced Alan Yarrow who, returning to Whitley’s line up
after eleven years away from ice hockey, swiftly dropped the gloves with Weeks
in a bid to get justice. Consequently, Warrior Smedley received two minutes for
roughing whilst Yarrow was dealt the more severe penalty of 2+2 for fighting.
Harsher still was the punishment earned by Weeks, Wardell seeing fit to ensure
the defenceman missed out on the rest of the game, handing him two minutes for
a cross check, 2+2 for fighting and an additional two minutes for roughing.
With the two points all
but certain, Whitley continued to move forward but to no avail. Spartans’
consolatory goal never manifested itself as the clock ticked away, leaving the
score line at 6-0 and a total of fifty one shots on Stones’ goal in comparison
to the twenty three that Whitley netminder Lawson had to deal with.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The outcome
of this fixture means that Whitley remain in second and are level with
Blackburn Hawks on points, though the Lancashire outfit have two games in hand
which they are likely to win, Daniel MacKriel’s team being unbeatable at the
moment. The Spartans, on the other hand, are now only two points ahead of
Solway Sharks and drop into sixth place as Billingham Stars steal their spot.
Whilst Martin White will be less than happy with this performance, David
Longstaff and bench coach Dave Holland should be pleased with this comfortable
win in which their team gave a strong and confident display from the start to
secure the points and cement their current league placement.
Interestingly, the
Warriors will face the Spartans on the road next Sunday in what promises to be
a tempestuous fixture, particularly if Spartans’ coach White has a full squad
at his disposal. In contrast, Whitley continue to suffer from injury woes but
the signing of ex-Warrior Phillip Pritchard provides Longstaff with an extra
option in defence should he require it, Craig Johnson returned to the
Whitley line up this weekend and Dean Holland continues to make outstanding
progress with his recovery, icing in the first two periods for the Hillheads
outfit in a bid to get back to full fitness.
Sting in the tale for Sutton as Stars
glow
Billingham
Stars 4
Sutton
Sting 2
After last weekend’s
closely contested clash at Ice Sheffield, Sutton Sting were out for revenge and
they were able to make their objective clear in the opening minutes of play.
The Stars having lost Richie Thornton after three minutes of play to the sin
bin for a slashing offence, Sutton were able to press the Stars on the power
play. Billingham’s woes did not end there, Thomas Keeley receiving a further
two minutes for delaying the game. With a clear advantage, Sutton successfully
broke down Billingham’s defensive efforts to take the lead through alternate
captain James Spurr slotted the puck under Flavell’s glove with a little help
from captain Simon Offord and experienced forward Richard Oliver.
Returning to full
strength, the Stars were quick to react to the goal and rushed forward to
snatch themselves an equaliser approximately two minutes after the Sting had
opened the scoring. Man of the moment Dennis Boström was on hand to fire the
shot past Russian netminder Dmitri Zimozdra, thereby allowing player-assistant
coach Michael Bowman to achieve his tenth assist of the season.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
However, Thornton and
Keeley were not the only players to concede penalty minute in the first period
as Sutton’s James Goodman picked up two minutes after the goal for interference
and, on eleven minutes, Billingham’s Luke Brown was dealt exactly the same blow
for exactly the same reason, reducing his side to four men as a consequence.
Despite these opportunities for both sides to take advantage of the power play,
neither side could find the back of the net, though James Moss came close,
hitting the bar instead of the net.
The Stars left the ice,
having seen a good proportion of possession before the break and returned in
the same vein, going ahead for the first time when Chris Sykes slotted the puck
into the bottom corner of Zimozdra’s net after some well worked play from Andy
Munroe and Callum Davies. Billingham’s celebrations were short lived, Terry
Ward’s delight draining away just twenty two seconds later when Sutton drew
level, player-coach John Ross playing the puck to Carl Ashton who made the pass
with Oliver arriving in support. Putting Stars netminder James Flavell under
pressure, Oliver slipped the puck beneath the shot stopper to make the score
2-2.
Further disruption
followed however, referee David Emmerson suddenly having his work cut out as
Ryan Johnson was sin binned for a slashing offence. On the power play, the
Stars found the back of the net again on twenty seven minutes but this effort
was written off for a player in the crease to add to the Teesiders’ dismay. To
make matters worse for the home side, Sutton returned to full strength only for
Stars defenceman Andy Finn to receive five minutes plus a twenty minute game
for slashing. On a five minute penalty kill, Billingham defended superbly to
ensure Sutton could not capitalise and had barely returned to full strength
before they found the Sting’s fortunes turned on their head, this time Johnson
earning himself two minutes for a check to the head and an additional ten
minute misconduct penalty. Failing to make the most of this opportunity, the
Stars went in at the interval knowing there was still work to be done if they
were to take two points from the game.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
Just thirty six seconds
after the first face off, the Stars made a rapid start, overwhelming Sutton to
take the lead for a second time in the game, James Moss setting up Dennis
Boström for another long range effort which zipped past Zimozdra in goal. With
the wind in their sails, Billingham were spurred on by their sudden advantage
and Sutton soon found themselves on the receiving end of a fourth goal, Boström
returning the favour to fellow forward Moss for a neat tap-in.
Unnerved, the Sting
called a timeout to reconsider their tactics but this was clearly not enough.
Though Flavell was pounded with shot after shot around five minutes into the
period, he managed to pull off a series of saves to ensure his side retained
their lead. Billingham were reduced to four men on 48:38, a roughing call
against Jack Davies placing the Sting on the power play, and three men just
eight seconds later when Andy Munroe received two minutes for high sticks.
Despite the two man advantage, Sutton could not shake up the score line and the
Stars emerged victorious from the fixture.
This win allows the
Stars to move back into fifth place as they go one point ahead of Sheffield
Spartans and their sights will now be set on the playoff spots as Terry Ward
prepares his team for their road trip to Hobs Moat Road. Three points behind
Solihull, with a game in hand to be played against the side on Sunday,
Billingham could find themselves in the top four in the next few weeks if the
side continues to progress towards more consistent form in the NIHL. Sutton, on
the other hand, remain one place away from the foot of the table with four
points; only Sheffield Senators are preventing John Ross’ team from occupying
the bottom spot. Sutton Sting encounter the rising Solway Sharks next weekend
in what promises to be an interesting game with the Dumfries outfit now four
points clear of eighth position.
For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.
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