CHELMSFORD, ESSEX – The high flying Chelmsford Chieftains are known for their exciting forward play but it has been their net minding pair of Ben Clements and Ryan Bainborough that have shone through so far this season.
When goalie David Wride left Chelmsford for Invicta Dynamos this summer many Chieftains fans were wondering who Coach Gary Clarke would recruit between the pipes for the reigning Play-Off Champions to partner regular starter Ben Clements in 2012/13.
The Chelmsford wall (Emily Snoding/Tim Bowers)
Clarke opted for Slough stopper Ryan Bainborough who had backed up Greg Rockman in the EPL last season whilst also appearing for the Slough NIHL team who were subsequently relegated.
Despite being highly rated at Slough Bainborough could not dislodge Rockman for the starting spot and now finds himself at NIHL level on a full time basis, a position Clements has had to settle for despite appearing briefly in the EPL when the Chieftains where at that level a few years ago.
“I’m not disappointed in the slightest” explained Bainborough when asked if he found it frustrating at Slough.
“The EPL is a very good league and playing behind Rocky in Slough was difficult but a good experience as he is a very good net minder”
“The last couple of Seasons the NIHL has been a forever improving league and this year is no different every team has class players and every game is a tough one. For goalies to break into the EPL is difficult especially at a young age, and if and when you get a chance you have to take it straight away as it is an unforgiving league for goalies”
It is a sentiment shared by his fellow colleague Clements.
“I still believe I could play at that level but I would prefer to be playing games at NIHL level than sitting on the bench at EPL” admitted the 25 year old Chelmsford born goalie.
“I think a lot of it depends on what club you play at, as if they have a good junior setup and both NIHL and EPL teams then you will always get good opportunities to train and play more”
“But I do believe if you play well at this level you will get noticed as every team needs good British players”
Competition for goalie spots is fierce in most leagues and not least in the NIHL. As a specialist position there is obviously only one starting spot in comparison to forward or defence where there are multiple opportunities for game time.
Both goalies have had to share minutes this season with Clarke in the unenviable position of deciding which of the two gets the nod each week. To their credit both Clements and Bainborough acknowledge that competition for that starting spot brings out the best in their respective games.
Clements local hero (Emily Snoding)
“I didn’t know Ryan that well at start of season but we have got on really well and it definitely makes things easier having a good goalie partnership” explained Clements, who was a key part of the Chieftains success last season.
“Of course we both want to play as much as we can so there will always be competition between us but I believe that can only be a good thing for team”
“With David Wride here last year and Ryan this, it has helped over the past couple of seasons having strong goalies push me, so yes I do believe having competition for the starting spot is important”
Twenty year old Bainborough is in agreement with his fellow team mate on the matter.
“The relationship between Ben and myself is great” explained the former Peterborough junior.
“I like having him as my partner. If I have a good game he answers right back the week after with a good game too, I think it’s a very healthy competition”
“I feel it is important to get on with your goalie partner as he is the only person on the team who has first-hand experience of what you’re going through as a goalie. It’s all positive and we both want the best for each other”
The mutual respect between the goalies extends to other stoppers across the league with both Clements and Bainborough identifying Bracknell’s Chris Douglas and Wightlink’s Matt Colclough as opposition minders they both rate highly.
The general question asked of most goalies is why do it. Why would you willingly stand in front of flying pucks each week and what on earth possesses someone to strap on the pads.
“I started playing hockey after my mum took me ice skating when I was 11 and I watched a junior match afterwards and something clicked and I said I wanted to play it” explained Bainborough, who made his first senior appearance for the Peterborough Islanders.
Bainborough shut out Romford (Tim Bowers)
“I always liked the idea of being goalie not sure why really, I started as a player however as my coach told me to improve my skating first and then when I was 12 I started in goal”
“I’d have to agree with the argument that goalies tend to be a bit odd, anyone who wants to be shot at with a flying puck for a job clearly isn’t all there, and you have to be a bit mad”
For Clements the choice was also pretty easy and concurs with Bainborough on the goalie mentality issue.
“I started playing hockey down my road after Richard Gunn got me and a few mates into it and then tried our luck at ice hockey” he admitted.
“I started as a player and after a few games we needed another goalie so I volunteered and the coach thought I was pretty good so I stuck at it and the rest is history as they say”
“We all are pretty crazy. Who else wants to be standing in the way of pucks coming at you travelling at 70-80mph or in some cases even faster”
Chelmsford have had a good start to the season with an early qualification for the South East Trophy final against Wightlink Raiders coming up in January and they also sit at the top of the league.
Bitter rivals Romford Raiders are coming up hot on their heels and with games in hand. A loss to Cardiff and a shock draw in Chelmsford against Bracknell has certainly put the pressure on already but Clements believes there is no reason to panic.
Clements on form (Emily Snoding)
“Maybe we just got a little complacent in a few games where we believed we should be wining more comfortably and didn’t which just shows the strength of the league this season and that you can’t take anything for granted”
“Hopefully we can move on and get back to playing the way we were at the start of season”
It is an appraisal that Bainborough echoes.
“We had a terrific start with a big unbeaten run” he admitted.
“We have lost a couple of games recently, but I don’t think there is a need to panic, the league is very tough this year and we will lose games but so will other teams”
“Though you can’t stress enough how important every game is this year and dropping points can be very costly so we have to be switched on and ready every night”
With the wealth of forward talent within the Chieftains some may believe that both goalies have one of the toughest training sessions in the league. Each week the team line up to take penalty shots at the two goalies with the last person to score named juice boy. It is a tradition many hockey teams continue to observe with the loser having to buy everyone drinks the following week (if everyone scores the goalies lose).
Luckily for the two Chelmsford goalies they know the players weaknesses by now.
“Yeah we play juice boy and so far this season I haven’t got it once so I am doing alright” explains Clements.
“The player with the worst hands is a tough one as we have got quite a few but James Ayling stands out as easy to stop because he always try’s something fancy and ends up losing the puck as he is more worried about looking good”
No fan of juice boy (Tim Bowers)
“I’m personally not a fan of juice boy” he admits.
“But Alex Staples hasn’t really got any hands in front of goal I can stop him with ease”
Finishing on a serious note, both goalies remain ambitious on both a personal and club level with short and long term goals quite clear.
“My ambitions are to play as high a level as I possibly can” admitted Bainborough, who hasn’t let his experience at Slough put him off.
“But my ambitions for now are to win as much silverware as possible with the Chieftains this season”
His colleague is equally as ambitious.
“My ambition for the season is to win some more silverware with the Chieftains and to finish high in the stats” explained Clements.
“Beyond this season who knows but I love it at Chelmsford and would be more than happy to keep playing at the club”
Chelmsford travel to the Isle of Wight this weekend in a first versus second match up and whichever goalie starts for the Essex side they are likely to be a big obstacle for the opposition to get past.
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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