Billingham Stars gave their most lacklustre performance of the season in the British Challenge Cup, losing 4-2 in front of their home fans to gritty Solway Sharks.
The Teessiders had to reshuffle with several players out and were slow to start, appearing sluggish and second to every puck.
Solway, although still light on numbers, by contrast looked bright and up for the fight.
A defensive error in the fourth minute allowed captain Alan Crane to set up Rick Bentham nicely for the opening goal, which seemed to go some way to waking up the home side.
The Ultimate Windows-sponsored Stars continued to shake some of their lethargy as the session wore on but could not find a breakthrough and the period closed with the Sharks a goal to the good.
The visitors were again fast out of the blocks in the second period, stunning their hosts with two quick goals in the 22nd minute.
First Iain Bowie fired into the roof of Mark Watson’s net, then just seconds after the restart youngster Gordon Horne tipped in past a screened Watson to make it 3-0.
Billingham needed a quick response, and it came just over a minute later when Garry Dowd rifled home to open the home side’s account.
The Stars continued to make hard work of the game, although it took a top-drawer save from Solway’s Gary Russell to prevent Billingham from narrowing the gap.
The Sharks were on target again early in the final period, another defensive lapse punished in fine style by Bentham as he bagged his second of the evening for 4-1.
Solway began to absorb increasing Stars pressure and Michael Bowman gave the home fans hope when he knocked in a loose puck at Russell’s near post in the 46th minute.
Billingham tried everything to get back into the game, pulling Watson for the final 56 seconds to give them the extra man, but never really troubled Russell and the Scots were able to comfortably close out their victory.
Man of the match for the Stars was Jamie Pattison.
The Stars won 5-2 at Solway in their second game of the new season, and director of coaching Terry Ward felt complacency might have crept into the cup clash at Billingham Forum.
“The lads just didn’t turn up,” Ward said.
“Perhaps they thought it was just going to be too easy, which was a major mistake on our part.
“Solway have always produced good sides, and we just weren’t up for the game.
“We were late coming out for the warm-up, a total lack of professionalism from our side, and consequently we were late for the first period.
“We’re disappointed with the mistakes we made on the goals.
“We just weren’t intense enough in and around the net. When we got near their net they had one or two defensemen and the goalie scrambling to make sure they got that puck.
“We weren’t doing that, and I think that was the difference,” he added.
Billingham are again in Challenge Cup action this Sunday at home to Blackburn (5.45pm).
No comments:
Post a Comment