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Phoenix ground the Jets

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Slough Jets 2 - Manchester Phoenix 4

Phoenix scorers: Ciaran Long, Juraj Faith, Ryan Johnson, Jaroslav Spelda

Phoenix without Tom Duggan , Tony Hand and Jorge El-Hage. Patrick Bruce King deputising for Jorge. Slough without Sam Godfrey.

Slough had the better of the early exchanges and Stephen Fone in goal had to be at his best in the first five minutes. Referee Joy Tottman, back on the circuit after a horrendous injury early in the season gave two early penalties, one for each team. Phoenix took the lead on 8.03 with a goal from Cairan Long, assisted by James Neil. This seemed to un-nerve the Jets and Phoenix had their best spell of the period. They doubled the lead on 16.45 with a neat shot from Juraj Faith off a Luke Boothroyd pass. Phoenix then dominated the rest of the period and went to the break with a 2-0 lead.

Phoenix started the second period the way they finished the first but lost a goal to a wrap around on 23.05 by Aaron Connolly . Ryan Watt fell foul of referee Joy Tottman with a 2 minute tripping call then wanted to fight everybody. Great powerplay by Phoenix with only a goal missing for their efforts. Ryan Johnson scored a rare goal on 36.02 when he took a pass from Josh Ward and forced Greg Rockman into a rebound and slid the puck past the floundering goalie. The period ended with Phoenix on top and 3-1 to the good.

Stephen Fone kept the two goal lead intact with a great save from Doug Sheppard, then denied Adam Calder minutes later. On 42.29 Jets made it a one goal game when Joe Greener scored on the powerplay after a strange call by the referee. Adam Greener then had an aberration when he was called 2 plus 10 for a check from behind on Stephen Wallace. Phoenix sealed the win with a Jaro Spelda empty netter on 59.46 for a well deserved 4-2 result.

Man of the match for Phoenix was Stephen Fone for a brilliant display.

Coach Hand said after the game: “I thought the guys played very well and thoroughly deserved the win. Stephen Fone kept us in the game in the first ten minutes and I thought we had a great second period. Great performance and I am very happy to take the points out of a difficult barn.”