Billingham Stars director of coaching Terry Ward praised his flu-stricken side for a gritty performance after they opened the New Year with a narrow 5-4 defeat at reigning champions Solway Sharks.
Icing a squad already short on defence, the Teessiders made the journey to Dumfries with a side suffering badly with illness, however an exciting, end-to-end National Ice Hockey League (North) Moralee Division One fixture ensued.
The tone was set very early in the game when Ultimate Windows Stars netminder James Flavell pulled off an almost unreal double save with just over a minute gone.
It was the home side who got the breakthrough in the 11th minute, a fine solo effort from Struan Tonnar as he took on the entire Stars team, carrying the puck from his own blue line before letting fly into the roof of Flavell’s net.
Billingham did not allow their heads to drop and Chris Sykes bagged the equaliser in the 14th minute, shooting low past Solway netminder Jordan Boyle.
Tonnar restored the Sharks’ lead in the 27th minute with a low shot between Flavell’s pads.
Defensive errors allowed Solway to extend that lead in the 31st minute, Richard Bentham directing the puck home right in front of Flavell’s net, and it was Bentham again who made it four with a contested effort in the 36th minute.
The goal seemed to fire up the visitors who immediately went on the offensive, James Moss robbing a Sharks defenseman on his own blue line and taking the puck the full length of the ice before scoring off the back of Boyle to narrow the gap.
Just a minute later Michael Bowman pounced on a rebound off the back boards following an attempt from Ben Davison, leaving just one goal separating the teams going into the final period.
Billingham’s hard work in getting back into the game appeared to be undone when Steven Moore scored his side’s fifth in the 43rd minute, but despite some players looking visibly ill, the Stars refused to throw in the towel and Michael Elder scored the goal of the game after excellent set-up play from Moss.
Billingham threw everything they had at the Sharks in the final 10 minutes, but were unable to find a way through and the match closed with the home side hanging on for victory.
Andy Munroe was Billingham’s man of the match.
Ward praised his sick side for their gutsy display after the game.
“We went to the game with 90% of the players ill, but they put in a performance that they can be proud of,” he said.
“We went 4-1 behind and we came back into the game strongly.
“The boys gave it everything they had - we had a lot of chances and missed opportunities. On another day they might have gone in.
“It was all Billingham in the last 10 minutes but it’s all about taking your chances and we didn’t take them.”
Billingham are in cup and league action this weekend as they travel to Telford to take on the Tigers in their final British Challenge Cup fixture on Saturday (face-off 5.30pm).
They then return to the Forum for a league derby clash with North-east rivals Whitley Warriors on Sunday (face-off 6.30pm).
No comments:
Post a Comment