Sharks
pipped to the post by tenacious Tigers
Telford Tigers
3
Solway Sharks
3
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Solway
Sharks made the trip to Telford Ice Rink with the knowledge that a victory
would take the side level on points with their opposition and provide the club
with a strong foothold in their quest to make the playoffs. Making the journey
with sixteen skaters and two netminders, Solway were able to match Telford’s
numbers, the home side sporting their regular points scorers in alternate
captains Callum Bowley and Karol Jets, though forwards James Smith and Macaulay
Heywood were amongst the side’s absentees.
Whilst
both teams made a positive start to the game, Solway appeared to have the
better share of the chances in the early stages of the game and Martin Grubb’s
side soon took the lead, Slovakian Juraj Senko and forward Stevie Adams building
on the foundations of the Sharks’ offensive efforts to see Steven Moore through
on goal with less than eight minutes played. A goal down, the home side were
handed an opportunity to draw level on 11:06 when referee Anthony Decaux called
Joe Coulter to the sin bin for a slashing offence. Unable to capitalise, the
Tigers watched as the visitors returned to full strength before losing a man of
their own, this time Joshua Hustwick guilty of tripping. Less than a minute of
this penalty was served when the defenceman was joined by fellow blue liner
Corey Goodison. With the advantage of five skaters to Telford’s three, it was
little surprise when the Sharks capitalised as Aidan Fulton threaded a pass to
Duncan Speirs who hit home on 16:25 to double Solway’s lead. Whilst the Tigers
were restored to five men, the Sharks found themselves a man down thirty four
seconds later when Fulton was also side lined for a slash, his penalty running
into the first minute of the second period.
Taking
to the middle section with a view to get back in the game, the Tigers were
handed several opportunities to do so as it became apparent that referee Decaux
would still have much work to do. A hooking penalty for Duncan Speirs did not
get Solway off to the start that they were hoping for but, strong on the
penalty kill, the Tigers could not break down the Sharks’ defence and Grubb’s
men escaped unscathed. A second penalty of the period conceded by forward Ross
Murray again left the Dumfries outfit with four men on the ice and, though
Parry’s men could not score on the power play, his team persevered to find
their first goal of the game through Philip Mulcahy on 32:08 with a single
assist from Simon Harrison. Failing to maintain their discipline throughout,
the Sharks found normal gameplay disrupted by successive penalties; Coulter
making his way from the ice on 33:07 for a hooking offence before both Murray
and Tigers’ captain Daniel Croft were punished for slashing. With no further
scoring in this period, though both had their fair share of chances to find the
back of the net, the teams filed from the ice with the understanding that the
points were still very much in the balance.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Returning
for the final instalment, both sides were aware that the game remained
within Telford’s grasp, prompting Solway to hunt down chances to creep further
ahead in the game. Whilst both sides tried their luck, it was the Sharks who
were next to score as Iain Bowie restored his team’s two goal cushion courtesy
of some clever linkup play between Speirs and Coulter. Unwilling to let the
game get away from them again, the Tigers were able to hit back just over a
minute later when Goodison helped Bowley to achieve his eighth goal of the
season.
Subsequent
to this, the game resumed its earlier tone as Telford’s Bradley Betteridge was
made to serve 2+2 for tripping and abuse. Keeping the Sharks at bay on the
power play, Telford had not yet returned to full strength when Slovakian import
Martin Cingel conceded two minutes for holding. Grubb’s line up made it back to
five men only for their opposition to sustain yet another penalty with
Betteridge still in the box for the side. On this occasion, Adam Taylor was the
guilty party with a check from behind which left the forward serving 2+10 for
his transgressions.
Telford
continued to put netminder Kieran Hobbins under pressure but, finding it
difficult make their attempts count, the side made the decision to call a time
out with less than two minutes of the game left. Parry’s words clearly resonated
within his team and, pulling together, the Tigers stormed Solway’s defence.
Finally, the home side slotted the puck past Hobbins to equalise but this goal
was not without cruelty, having found the back of Solway’s net with just one
second of the game left to play.
With
each team taking a share of the points, the Moralee Conference league table is
now closer than ever before which can only add to the intensity of NIHL
fixtures in the coming weeks. Whilst the Sharks and the Spartans are now tied
on twenty one points, Telford Tigers have reclaimed fourth position to push
Billingham Stars out of the playoff spots, though the Shropshire outfit are
also level on points with the Teesiders. Head Coach Martin Grubb informed NIHL
Northern Trio: “We were very disappointed not to come away with the two points
in Telford, and it was a tough one to lose a goal with one second left, but
that is what happens when you don’t take your chances to put the game away.”
Hard fought win for Warriors stings
Sutton
Whitley Warriors 2
Sutton Sting 1
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Whilst Whitley Warriors
went into this game with the aim to continue their good run of form on home
ice, Sutton Sting’s recent victories meant that their game against the
Hillheads outfit was an opportunity to further close the gap between themselves
and Martin Grubb’s Solway Sharks. Absentees for Matt Darlow’s side included
forwards Richard Oliver, Matt Jeffcock, Jordan Brewster and Thomas Marshall
whilst Dean Smith was missing in defence, although the South Yorkshire outfit was
reinforced by the presence of youngsters Bailey Templar and Oliver Mitchell. Meanwhile,
David Longstaff’s Warriors were also without several key players as blue liners
Joe Stamp, Scott Cooper, Liam Smedley, Harry Harley and Stu Tomlinson were unable
to ice alongside forwards Martin Crammond and Ben Richards.
As a result, the home
side were forced to make several changes to their lines; power forward Jordan
Barnes dropping back to the blue line to name but one. Notwithstanding these
absences, the Warriors made a fast start to the first period to test the
Sting’s exceptional Russian netminder Dmitri Zimozdra on several occasions with
game play taking place in Whitley’s offensive zone for the most part. Despite
this early domination, Sutton were the first to make a successful impact on the
game when alternate captain James Spurr ensured that the puck fell to Sergevs
Jegorovs from the face off, the Latvian finding blue liner Ryan Johnson who hit
home to accomplish his eighth goal of the season.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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A goal down, the
Warriors continued to fight for an equaliser but their efforts could not make
it past Zimozdra and, with both teams playing hard hitting ice hockey, it was
not long before referee David Emmerson was forced to hand out his first penalty
of the game, Jamie Tinsley the player at fault with a tripping offence.
Carefully running down the clock, Whitley prevented the Sting from doubling their
lead and, approximately two minutes after returning to full strength, it was
the home side’s turn to light the lamp; Dean Holland and DJ Good working the
puck towards Sutton’s defence, allowing forward Callum Watson to break free on
18:18 to equalise. Thirty eight seconds later, the Sting were stunned as the
Warriors quickly added a second to their tally to take the lead, this time Good
the man on target as Watson returned the favour with some help from Holland
before the break.
Returning for the second
period, Longstaff’s line up aimed to add to their tally further, aware of the
slender margin between themselves and their opposition. Again, Whitley saw the
better share of opportunities fall their way, the side having twenty four shots
on Zimozdra’s goal in comparison to the thirteen fired at Richie Lawson. That
is not to say that the Sting did not create chances; the side had several which
saw Lawson called into action, the shot stopper pulling off some strong saves
to keep his side ahead in the game. Called to the sin bin for a particularly
clear cut boarding offence, Barnes saw his side reduced to four men and again
battling on the penalty kill. The Warriors’ sturdy defence held out as the
Sting began to plough forward and the visitors were unable to capitalise for a
second time on the power play. Neither team finding the back of the net before
the break, Whitley went in with their narrow lead still intact.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Heading out for the
third period, both teams were aware that the next goal would be crucial and again
the Warriors began well, bombarding Sutton’s net with shots as the team battled
to pose a danger in front of goal. Just minutes into the last section, young
Warrior Callum Queenan sustained a broken collarbone which left the home side short
of yet another player. Undeterred, Whitley
continued to search for a third goal and came close, but Zimozdra continued
with his fantastic display to keep the Warriors’ from scoring. Only one goal
required to see Sutton take a share of the points, coach Matt Darlow called a
timeout on 59:24 which saw the Sting pull their netminder for an additional
skater as play moved into Whitley’s defensive zone. In a tense conclusion to a hard
fought game, the South Yorkshire outfit were unable to find that crucial equaliser
whilst Whitley could not break away to claim an empty net goal. The score line
2-1, the Warriors now find themselves on thirty nine points, just seven behind
league leaders Blackburn with two games in hand, whereas Sutton remain in
seventh place but are now on nineteen points following their 10-2 triumph over
Sheffield Spartans on Saturday.
Commenting after the
game, player-coach David Longstaff told NIHL Northern Trio: “I thought we did
well considering we were missing so many players and there was a bug in the
team. I’m a little bit disappointed with our scoring percentage; two goals from
sixty three shots isn’t great but any time you have more than double the amount
of shots the opposition has, you deserve to win.” Whitley Warriors will
now look ahead to their road trip against Sheffield Spartans next Sunday in what
will be their only fixture of the weekend, the side hoping to grab another win
in their bid to qualify for the playoffs.
Last minute mêlée overshadows Sharks’
setback
Solihull
Barons 3
Solway
Sharks 1
Travelling
to Hobs Moat Road following a 3-3 draw against Telford Tigers on Saturday,
Martin Grubb’s Solway Sharks were looking to pick up two points to resume the
improved form the side have shown in recent games. Making the trip with their
line-up intact, Solway went into this game aware that it would be a difficult
one against Perry Doyle’s Solihull Barons, his team having performed to a high
standard this season subsequent to their recent promotion; already, the Barons
have scored one hundred and ten goals and conceded the most penalty minutes in
the Moralee Conference.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Setting
a precedent early in the game, it was little surprise that the Barons were
first to be punished by referee Kevin Biggs as forward Edward Eaton was made to
serve two minutes for interference. Hoping to get ahead on the power play,
Solway made several attempts to open the scoring but ultimately failed to take
their chances and were soon punished. Just two seconds after the Barons were
restored to full strength, alternate captain Josh Bruce made a pass to set left
winger Joe Henry on course for his tenth goal of the season.
Whilst
the Sharks were eager to find a way back from their sudden deficit, matters
were quickly made worse for the visitors when versatile Slovakian import Tomas
Janak threaded the puck to Bruce who did not hesitate to light the lamp for his
side. The score line 2-0, Solway immediately clashed with their opposition as
Baron David Rogers dropped the gloves with Marc Fowley in the aftermath to each
receive 2+2 for roughing whilst blue liner Ryan Selwood scuffled with Sharks’
captain Struan Tonnar, both players incurring two minutes in the penalty box.
This disruption saw goal scoring opportunities squandered at either end of the
ice and, though Solway tested Solihull’s Sam Hewitt with twenty six shots, it
was the Barons who made their chances count in the opening period to go in at
the break with a two goal advantage.
The
initial face off of the middle stanza over, Selwood found himself side lined just
seventeen seconds in, the defenceman guilty of a hooking offence on this
occasion. Approximately four minutes later, forward Andrew Whitehouse was made
to warm a seat in the sin bin for boarding but, again, the Sharks bore down on
Solihull’s goal to no avail and the home side were soon restored to five men.
With no further scoring in the game at the mid-point of the period, Solway’s
Ross Murray battled with Barons’ captain Rob Eley, Stephen Heape also involving
himself in the fracas. Whilst Murray and Eley were each given minor penalties,
Heape’s actions saw the Barons receive an additional penalty of 2+2 for
roughing. A third penalty for Selwood, and a resulting power play for Solway,
made little difference to the Sharks’ execution in front of goal, the visitors
remaining 2-0 down as they headed in at the interval.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Any
hopes the Dumfries outfit had to get their game back on track were rapidly dashed
going into the last period. Whitehouse’s pass to top points scorer Thomas Soar
was quickly transferred to creative Swedish import Niklas Ottosson who slotted
the puck past Hobbins to make it 3-0 on 42:25. In keeping with the tone of the game,
the Barons were reduced to four men yet again when alternate captain Phil
Knight was punished for interference but, try as they might, the Sharks could
not capitalise and the score line remained unchanged. Solihull’s forward
Matthew Maurice was the next to fall victim to the sin bin following a charging
call from Biggs but the Barons remained strong on the penalty kill to ensure that
the Sharks could not find a way through with the advantage of an additional
man. Five minutes after the home side returned to full strength, some effective
build up play from Solway resulted in a goal as Grubb’s latest signing James
Wallace hit the target courtesy of an assist from left winger Steven Moore.
This
was to be the only goal that Solway would score before events took a
particularly hostile turn in what has to be the most action-packed minute of
any NIHL game this season. A slash on Hobbins by Selwood was quickly returned by
the shot stopper, prompting enforcer Doyle to leave the bench in his aim to challenge
the Sharks’ netminder before clashing with Tonnar. In the midst of this chaos,
renowned fighter Murray went toe to toe with Eley in the sequel to their
earlier confrontation whilst Slovakian import Martin Cingel clashed with Bruce.
The buzzer calling time on the game, Heape again sought to involve himself in
the action, choosing to fight Fowley who, in turn, received two minutes for
charging for his response to this incident. In effect, a penalty of 2+2+2+10
was dished out to player-coach Doyle for goaltender inference, roughing and
misconduct but the most severe call of the evening was undoubtedly delivered to
Heape, the forward earning five minutes plus game for his part in the
battle. Meanwhile, Solihull captain Eley
and youngster Jordan Stokes, the latter of which appearing to be mistakenly punished in place
of Bruce, found themselves on the wrong end of 2+2+10 penalties for roughing
alongside Solway’s Murray, Tonnar and Cingel. Two minute minors were then
called on both Selwood and Hobbins for slashing whilst goal scorer Henry and
Sharks’ blue liner Stuart Andrews both incurred 2+2 penalties for their
involvement.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Speaking
after the game, Head Coach Martin Grubb told NIHL Northern Trio: “It was
disappointing to come away from the weekend with only one point and it doesn’t
really help us in the playoff race but we knew it was going to be a tough one.
Tonight, we are again left talking about our lack of goal scoring ability as we
made their goalie look good and our power play was woeful. Solihull worked
harder than us and turned it into a physical game which is their type of play
and they wanted it more than us which is disappointing. We had an opportunity
to move up the table and didn’t take it, and we now need to decide whether we
have the desire to make the playoffs and prove it as every game is a big game
now.”
Adding
to this input, captain Struan Tonnar noted: “I think it came down to Solihull being
more clinical with their finishing. We had some good scoring chances but
couldn’t convert. It was a fast paced game where unfortunately we came out on
the wrong end of the result. It is just a shame that it was spoiled with, in my
opinion, some unnecessary reactions. However, both teams did what any team
would do and stuck up for each other.”
Looking
ahead, Solway Sharks miss out on league action next weekend as they prepare for
their North Cup encounter against Billingham Stars before they play host to
Terry Ward’s outfit a week later when the side’s Moralee action continues.
