News

Flames extinguished by confident Phoenix

Tweet

Manchester Phoenix 5 - 1 Guildford Flames

Manchester Phoenix gave home debuts to five members of their English National League affiliate club, Trafford Metros, and the youngsters played their part in a confident victory over the Guildford Flames.

Phoenix player coach Tony Hand commented, "With four guys away on international duty with the GB Under-20 squad in Hungary, I needed to bring in some extra bodies and the obvious thing to do was to call lads up from the ENL side. They played their part, didn't let themselves down and overall, the team played a good solid game. After the loss in Peterborough, we knew we'd have to be focussed against a good Guildford side and tonight was arguably as good as we've played all season. I thought we dominated the game and with some better finishing, could have won by a bigger margin."

Phoenix opened their account in the seventh minute as Hand and Adam Walker combined for Jaakko Hagelberg to smash a shot from the slot past Mark Lee in the Flames goal. Phoenix were looking the more incisive of the two teams, but the Flames drew level in the twelfth minute, Martin Masa pouncing to score after Lamey and Smital had split the home defence. Phoenix though responded well and after Hand missed a sitter and fired a rising shot over the crossbar, they regained the lead, excellent work from Hand and Ed Courtenay being finished neatly by Adam Walker. A further three minutes passed before Lady Luck went the Phoenix way as Hand picked off a poor clearance and his shot across the face of goal hit the skate of his opposite number, Flames player coach Paul Dixon, and deflected into the net to give the home side a two goal lead at the first break.

The second period saw the Phoenix continuing to dominate the possession and another incisive move saw them take a 4-1 lead as Andre Payette and Greg Wood made the opening for defenceman Ryan Johnson to fire his first goal for the club as Lee failed to hold his shot and the puck trickled over the line. Phoenix were now cruising and another flowing move in the 29th minute saw them go four goals clear as Courtenay and Walker carved the opening for player coach Tony Hand to score his second of the game. Guildford were struggling to contain the Phoenix, but they continued to battle and prevented the home side from adding to their lead through to the second interval.

The final period saw the home support expecting their team to add to their goal tally, but a combination of some fine goaltending by Lee and the feeling that the game was safe saw the Phoenix ease off the accelerator and give ice time to the ENL players. Late in the game, Hand sent his four skaters from the Metros squad - Max Drakeley, Andy McKinney, John Murray and Jake Nurse - out and they showed their hunger in chasing down every puck and harrying the Flames defence in their eagerness to impress. Adam Summerfield, still deputising for the injured Steve Fone in the Phoenix goal, continues to shoulder the responsibility in a calm manner earning his second Man of the Match award for just one goal conceded in facing thirty shots.