Wightlink Raiders 11-7 Bracknell Hornets
ENLS1
Planet Ice, Ryde, Isle of Wight
04/02/2012
The Wightlink Raiders won a wild game on Saturday evening as they overcame a much improved Bracknell Hornets teams 11-7. The first surprise of the evening was that young Dan Weller-Evans started as goalkeeper for the Raiders as Liam McAllister was unable to start due to injury. Dan did a fine job having only given a few minutes’ notice of his start but this was a tough game for the goalies as it was a game where the offences always seemed to have the upper hand. If the Hornets can keep this young team together they will certainly become a force in this division but on this occasion the more experienced and powerful Raiders always had a little bit too much for them.
The game started quiet scrappily with both teams struggling to establish any sort of rhythm and it was the visitors who struck first after 4 minutes when Webb scored. This seemed to jolt the Raiders into action and they quickly equalised through Dom Hopkins. The Raiders were in the ascendency for the rest of the period but had only had one more counter to show for it, Grant Rounding scoring after 12 minutes. The Hornets were always a threat and Dan Weller-Evans had to make a couple of fine saves to ensure the home team went to the break in front. However the first twenty minutes had given the crowd little indication of what was to come in the next 2 periods.
Bracknell quickly equalised at the start of the middle period, ex Wightlink Tiger Ricky Rutherford scoring however the Raiders went straight back up the other end and Dom Hopkins got his second of the night to put the home team back in front. The pattern for the rest of the game was then established; both defences seemed to be on the back foot from that point on. The Raiders opened up a two goal lead through Steve Gosset but the Hornets quickly reduced the deficit back to one through Andrew Lack, Dan Weller-Even being very unlucky as the puck took a horrendous deflection of the backboards to leave him stranded. We then had the first major penalty incident of the night when the Hornet’s Matt Ovenden was given a match penalty for high sticks which drew blood from Dan Murdy’s mouth. This was later reduced to a Game penalty as Dan was able to return to the ice. In the ensuing powerplay Joe Rand again extended the Raiders lead. The Hornets hit back again through Fisher but Alex Murray quickly restored the Raiders two goal advantage. Steve Gosset and Andrew lack then indulged in a bout of fisticuffs. Gosset landing several telling early blows which left his opponent with a black eye and cut face, before the bout became a bit of a grapple. Joe Rand then scored the final goal of the period to give the Raiders a three goal advantage at the break. There was still time for the Hornets Chamula to be given a misconduct penalty for protesting too vociferously about a slashing call given against him.
The third period continued in the same vein as the second. Joe Rand quickly extended the Raiders lead to 4 but the Hornets who to their credit never gave up in this match quickly reduced the arrears back to two through Ricky Rutherford and ex-Raider Danny Hughes. The Raiders seemed to be wobbling at this point but when Dom Hopkins completed his hat trick to make the score 9-6 the home team settled again and never looked seriously threatened from that point on. However there then was a second fight of the evening, this time between the Raiders Nathan Taylor and again Andrew Lack who despite his previous injuries did not hesitate to get involved once more. The bout was instigated by a check to the head by Lack, both players swinging wildly before falling to the ice and being jumped upon and pinned down by the referee. Nathan left the ice with the inside of his visor covered in blood, but whether this was caused by the check to the head, the fight or the referee pinning him to ice in the aftermath is not clear. Lack was given an additional 2+10 penalty for the check to the head which effectively ended his participation in the match. The Raiders then went on to score two more quick goals. Aiden Doughty netting his first goal for the Raiders and Richard Facey getting a goal to go with his six assists on the night. Fisher then completed the scoring for the Hornets but the game was beyond them at this point. The Raiders managed to accumulate an impressive 30 shots in this period.
So it was quite a night for the crowd that had made their way out on a horrible evening. 18 goals, 2 fights, Aiden Doughty getting his first goal of probably very many for the Raiders and Richard Facey tallying an impressive seven points. Coach Jeremy Cornish was satisfied by the result. ‘Dan came in at very short notice and did a really good job for us but sometimes games just go the way it did tonight’ he said.
Again we had a two man system of referees, the two being Ian Hayden and Petr Popluhar, yes there really is a ref called Mr Popluhar, both did a good job and kept on top of a match which simmered all evening.
The Man of the match awards went to Ricky Rutherford for the Hornets and Connor Pollard for the Raiders. The final shot count being 69 to 33 in favour of the home team.
Stats
- 4.14 Wightlink 0-1 Bracknell – Webb, Fisher
- 5.12 Wightlink 1-1 Bracknell – Hopkins, Rounding, Facey
- 8.45 Wightlink PEN Facey 2 high stick
- 12.37 Wightlink 2-1 Bracknell – Rounding, Facey, Rand
- 14.36 Wightlink PEN Murray 2 slashing
- 14.36 Bracknell PEN Hughes 2 roughing
- 21.27 Wightlink 2-2 Bracknell – Rutherford, Webb
- 22.32 Wightlink 3-2 Bracknell – Hopkins, Facey, Strawson
- 23.56 Bracknell PEN Wheeler 2 hooking
- 25.45 Wightlink 4-2 Bracknell – Gosset, Pollard, Facey PPG
- 27.02 Bracknell PEN Wheeler 2 tripping
- 29.20 Wightlink 4-3 Bracknell – Lack unassisted
- 29.34 Bracknell PEN Ovenden 5+game high stick
- 30.34 Wightlink 5-3 Bracknell – Rand unassisted PPG
- 35.49 Wightlink 5-4 Bracknell – Fisher, Webb, Hughes
- 36.33 Wightlink 6-4 Bracknell – Murray unassisted
- 36.47 Wightlink PEN Gosset 2+2 roughing
- 36.47 Bracknell PEN Lack 2+2 roughing
- 38.51 Wightlink 7-4 Bracknell – Rand, Facey
- 39.37 Bracknell PEN Chamula 2 slashing and 10 misconduct
- 41.10 Wightlink 8-4 Bracknell – Rand, Pollard, Facey PPG
- 41.52 Wightlink 8-5 Bracknell – Rutherford, Lack
- 43.34 Bracknell PEN Lack 2 slashing
- 46.16 Wightlink PEN Bound 2 holding
- 46.22 Wightlink 8-6 Bracknell – Hughes, Lack PPG
- 46.41 Wightlink PEN Taylor 2 tripping
- 49.03 Wightlink 9-6 Bracknell – Hopkins, Murdy
- 51.52 Wightlink PEN Taylor 2+2 roughing
- 51.52 Bracknell PEN Lack 2+2 roughing and 2+10 check to head
- 56.04 Wightlink 10-6 Bracknell – Doughty, Murray, Pye
- 57.58 Wightlink 11-6 Bracknell – Facey, Rounding, Rand
- 58.12 Wightlink 11-7 Bracknell – Fisher, Webb, Jordan
Shots on goal On Matt Passmore 17/22/30 = 69 On Dan Weller Evans 14/8/11 = 33
Man of match Hornets – Ricky Rutherford Raiders – Connor Pollard
Officials Ian Hayden & Petr Popluhar
