ENL South Round-up Week 10

LONDON, UK – The top three teams faced each other this weekend and so did the bottom three so it was an important set of fixtures in the English National League South.
 
Tongues wagged during the week, as a rumour spread across the hockey community via its largest online outlet, The Hockey Forum.com, that the star of last season’s English National League South was set to become a free agent.

 
Former Invicta Dynamo Peter Vaisanen was believed to have been released by current employers Sheffield Steel Dogs of the English Premier League, causing some elements of excitement amongst the fans at his former stomping ground.
 
With 100 points last season in Dynamos colours, the hard hitting Vaisanen would be an awesome pick up for any team in the ENL however the rumour was put to bed shortly after by the Steel Dogs management. Aside from the self interest of not being chased by the big Canadian into the corners, I think all of us in the league hope that Vaisanen recovers from his current shoulder injury and advances his hockey career for his own sake rather than taking what would be an undoubted backwards step into the league tier below.
 
Saturday
 
Behold the County of Essex, home of the famous Essex girl and other such delights. A quick glance at the Essex tourist board’s main events of November, sadly listed only the Guy Fawkes and Fireworks Experience in Waltham Abbey as the only event of Saturday, however those in the know, would have likely headed down to Rom Valley Way to watch the seasons second clash between the resident Romford Raiders and fierce rivals the Chelmsford Chieftains.
 
The last fixture between these two was a rather bizarre 1-0 win in the Chieftains favour so it was not too surprising that this one was another close affair. Romford had since added a new import in the shape of 28 year old Slovakian Juraj Huska, who last appeared in this country for Telford a few years ago. It was not all good news however, as young starlet Frankie Harvey missed this game through injury.
 
The Raiders looked to have won this game courtesy of goals from Anthony Leone, AJ Smith and debutant Huska, however the Chieftains equalised to make it 3-3 with only six seconds on the clock courtesy of a Danny Hammond goal, after Head Coach Dean Birrell had pulled his goalie for the extra man advantage. Chelmsford’s other goals came from former Romford favourite Matt Turner and youngster James Ayling.
 
Turner was not the only former Romford player in Chieftains colours to make his mark on the game, as Danny Cox and Grant Baxter went toe to toe following a clash between Blaho Novak and James Murnane.
 
Oxford and Cardiff faced each other for the third time this season with both previous fixtures having ended in 5-5 and 3-3 draws. Cardiff Bay hosted yet another close fought game between the two sides. At the end of this game it was the visiting City Stars side and their fans who went home happy with a 5-3 win full of incident.
 
The win was all the more impressive given the Stars were missing key players Gareth Endicott, Wayne Fiddes, Andrew Shurmer, Alan Green and Grant Bailey, however Jack Robinson and the underrated Jacob Smith were called up from the ENL 2 side.
 
Goals for the Stars came from Dale White, Darren Elliott, Richard Wojciack and a brace for Josh Oliver, and Cardiff’s came courtesy of two from Luke Piggott and one for David James. Cardiff’s Brent Pope and Steve Maile were ejected from the game for infractions with the latter due a suspension following comments made to referee Blaine Evans. Oxford Captain Darren Elliott was also kicked out in the third for slashing penalty.
 
The loss marked six games without a win for the ENL Devils, who had last tasted victory in early October against Milton Keynes Thunder.
 
Bristol Pitbulls faced Swindon ENL Wildcats at Frogmore Street in a must win game for the home side. Lining up in Swindon colours was none other than Shannon Taylor who had been released by mutual consent from the Pitbulls just days earlier.
 
Another high scoring encounter entertained the home supporters as Taylor and his new side proved unable to dampen their enthusiasm. A 9-5 victory was just what was needed for Richie Hargreaves side, who put to bed a dismal run of six consecutive losses.
 
Steve Osman was the hero with a hat trick for the Pitbulls, although Mike Smith also got two to his name. Luke Merrick, Richie Hargreaves, Henrik Sahlin and Rob Jones were also on the score sheet .
 
There can be few more depressing moments in an ENL hockey player’s life than the ferry ride home after a defeat to the resident Wightlink Raiders.
 
To be defeated is bad enough, however to be thrashed is another thing. A 9-1 defeat was not a result any of us (Streatham Redskins) were expecting but if you don’t show up on that small ice on the Isle of Wight you will be punished.
 
Two goals each for Robbie Brown, Jason Gorrie, Nathan Taylor and Richard Facey, along with one from Damon Larter gave the Raiders the win. Tomas Valko got our only goal, with the only other happy note from a Redskins perspective being the penalty shot save by Shane Kemp in the third period from Larter.
 
It was nice to see more home fans in the Cube than our visit last season, boosted by our considerable number of travelling supporters, decked out in hi-vis’ vests and armed with glow-sticks – answers on a postcard please. The defeat hurts all the more when you know you have let down the people who have travelled by land and sea to come and support you. It is hard not to be pleased for the islands hockey community that they are watching their side competing at the top of the table rather than the struggles of recent years in the EPL. There are some good people there and they deserve something to shout about.
 
To rub salt in the wounds the ferry did not open the bar on the way home, so not even a cool pint could take the edge off a long day. This particular Saturday is best forgotten by those of a Redskins persuasion, and on a personal note, those aforementioned fireworks in Waltham Abbey were only five minutes away from my home. Next time I may be tempted to miss the bus and buy some rockets instead (only joking Coach).
 
Sunday
 
After their convincing win the previous evening against the third placed Redskins, Wightlink travelled to second placed Invicta Dynamos knowing a win would give them a cushion at the top of the table. The Dynamos seem unwilling to give up their league crown easily this year however and ground out a 3-2 win.
 
Big Canadian Daniel Calitri continued his good form with another two goals, with Liam Chong getting the other for the Dynamos. Brad Watchorn and Nathan Taylor reduced the deficit, but despite pulling their goalie in the final minute of the game, the Raiders could not find the equalising goal.
 
This was a big win for the Dynamos who remain in second place, but now have two games in hand over the Raiders.
 
Oxford City Stars hosted the Romford Raiders and gave the Essex side a scare in the first two periods before running out of steam and losing 7-4. It was 4-4 going into the final ten minutes before Juraj Huska and Danny Marshall struck late on, with Marshall adding an empty netter with a few seconds remaining.
 
Marshall had already scored earlier in the game so then completed his hat trick, and Huska also notched an additional goal. Tyrone Miller was the other scorer for the Raiders with a power play effort. Dax Hedges, Josh Oliver, Andy Cox and Darren Elliott got the goals for Oxford, who have now lost two home games in a row in contrast to their three consecutive wins at Oxpens Road previously.
 
With both sides struggling uncharacteristically this season, the clash between Bracknell Hornets and Cardiff ENL Devils at the Hive was an intriguing one to predict. Unfortunately for Ben Pitchley’s Hornets side it was the Welsh side that took home the two points with a 6-3 win.
 
Free scoring Devils forward Luke Piggott got a hat trick and Tim Burrows also got on the score sheet for the visitors. Bracknell goals came courtesy of Tom Smith (his first for the Hornets this season), JJ Pitchley and Tony Barclay. That win for the Devils puts them in seventh place in the league, four points ahead of Bracknell although the Hornets have three games in hand.
 
The joy Bristol had from their win over Swindon the previous night was short lived, as they were royally trounced in Chelmsford against a rampant Chieftains side. The 16-3 score line is one that the Pitbulls will want to forget in a hurry.
 
A staggering ten different Chieftains got on the scoresheet, with Tom Long the stand out with four goals. Aaron Connelly, Danny Hammond and Matt Turner all got two goals each plus Sean Easton, James Ayling, Darren Brown, Alex Green, Ross Brears and Blaho Novak got a goal each. Bristol’s goals came from Ali Band, Alan Armour and Henrik Sahlin, with Band also picking up man of the match for the visitors.
 
Milton Keynes Thunder welcomed back goalie Mark Woolf to the line up for the trip to face Swindon ENL Wildcats as the two struggling outfits went head to head at the Link Centre.
 
The resulting 2-2 draw will probably please the Wildcats slightly more than Thunder who were also missing the influential Ross Bowers. The Wildcats looked odds on winners until Connor Goode struck in the third to take a point back to Buckinghamshire.
 
So Wightlink stay at the top of the league with the Dynamos holding vital games in hand in second place. Bristol stay rooted at the bottom and will need to pick up some form in the next few fixtures. Perhaps a replacement for Shannon Taylor may bring Bristol some fresh impetus.
 
 
 
Results
 
Saturday 6 November 2010
 
Romford 3 Chelmsford 3
Bristol 9 Swindon 5
Wightlink 9 Streatham 1
Cardiff 3 Oxford 5  
 
 
Sunday 7 November 2010
 
Bracknell 3 Cardiff 6
Oxford 4 Romford 7
Chelmsford 16 Bristol 3
Swindon 2 Milton Keynes 2
 
For those regular readers you may have noticed some slight changes to the round-up so if you have any comments or feedback they will be very much appreciated.  
 
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com