News

When Hull freezes over... we will sledge there too!!!

Tweet

First up saw the Kestrels play the Phoenix and with the Kestrels top of the league with a 100% record and yet to concede a goal... it was always going to b a tough ask! The game started with both teams looking to take a grip of the game and for the first five minutes it was Phoenix who seemed to be on top, bar some great goaltending in the Kestrels net by Bryan Hackworth, Phoenix could have had a few goals…however it was Kingston who struck first at 7:17 through Matt Clarkson, but this sparked the Phoenix into a period of attack... again thwarted by bad luck and goaltending before Kestrels struck again at 12:10, Clarkson getting his second!

The second period again saw both teams playing at the top of their game and trading chances, Steve Midghall in net for Phoenix showing why he has broken into the GB set up with dome magnificent goaltending and at the other end Bryan Hackworth stopping everything thrown at him, with luck also playing a huge part at times. With time ticking down and a hut out loss on the cards, Captain Karl Nicholson squeezed a shot in to make it 2-1 with 24 seconds to go... and despite piling on the pressure for those final seconds, the win went to Kingston... although the Phoenix couldn’t fathom how they had not come away as victors! A thrilling match by both teams and showed how far the league has progressed.

No rest for the wicked, as Phoenix were back at it in game 2 versus Peterborough... a team that had beaten them 7-2 a month previously. With confidence from the last game still high, the Phoenix looked to beat the Phantoms. This time Phoenix were on the back foot for the first minute or two before they regained their composure, with Steve Midghall again dominant in the net! Back and forth went both teams before Peterborough struck at 6:04 through GB Star Gary Farmer. Phoenix responded within 2 minutes when Karl Nicholson slotted past GB goalie Rob Gaze at 7:46 to tie the score. Peterborough decided to borrow the tactic and scored within 2 minutes themselves to regain the 1 goal cushion, again through Farmer but Phoenix didn’t fold and reset and again it paid off as Nicholson equalised less than 1 minute later, to make it 2-2 going into the break.

Both squads knew that the next goal was key, with both 'tenders playing out of their skins, the one goal could be enough to decide it. Both teams went for the win, with some great passing and movement by both teams, the spectators were treated to a second great game... unfortunately for the Phoenix ad lucky deflection from a face off just past he 25 minute mark saw the Phantoms get that next goal, and despite a barrage of Phoenix pressure... the next goal did indeed end up being the winner.

With both games ending with just 1 goal deciding it, the team where naturally disappointed yet proud of the effort and the performances they had put in, with Coach Pete Hagan admitting “It was difficult, you play so well and lose…its hard to explain how it happened to the players. They couldn’t have done more or played any better... on another day we would have gone home with 2 wins, yet we come away with nothing... the players didn’t deserve that. But a great platform for us to build on for the last round of games in Peterborough in July and then the play offs at Widnes.”

That left the Kestrels to play Peterborough, the Kestrels looking to keep their unbeaten streak going and the Phantoms looking to tie Kingston at the top of the table. Both teams were attacking and playing some great hockey, a theme of the whole tournament, with the sides trading chances and periods of pressure. Both goalies again pulling out top class saves to give their team a chance to win…but it was Peterborough who won the game, 3-2 and handing the Kestrels their first defeat in a long long time. A changing of the guard? A show of strength of the game in the UK with any of the 3 teams there playing well enough to win their games? All in all... it's looking like competition will be very close for places in the GB Sledge team looking to get to the Paralympics! Watch this space!!!