ENL South Round-up week 10

LONDON, UK – With fireworks lighting up the UK skyline, the teams of ENL South did their best to ensure the action inside rinks across the league did not disappoint in comparison.
 
The league entered week 10 marking the end of the first quarter of the season. Whilst it is still early to be making predictions the early signs are that Romford and Chelmsford are both locked in a head to head battle for the title with Wightlink, Invicta and Cardiff battling it out behind them.

 
Bristol currently look to be the best of the rest but aside from Bracknell rooted at the bottom, there is not much between the teams battling for the remaining play-off spots. Predictable? Maybe, but overall the league is competitive and entertaining as well.
 
Sadly the same cannot be said for the South East Cup, as the pitfalls of a group competition are laid bare with dead rubber games already. The objections to a nationwide knockout ENL cup are well documented but I hope this format is seriously proposed at the next AGM.
 
On a selfish level I would love to draw Whitley Bay or Billingham away and go up to the North East with Streatham, but even for those without personal ties like myself, surely most Chelmsford, Romford and Invicta fans would love the chance to see their team’s take on the likes of Blackburn and even Solway, rather than 8 games against each other.
 
Yes there are logistic issues and ice rental problems, but a similar cup has taken place at junior level before so it can be done.
 
It is a long time since we have entered a cheesy song related quote in Pro Hockey News so forgive us for quoting crooner Vanessa Williams, as we ask; has Invicta coach Kev Parrish ‘ Saved the Best till last’?
Of course this is in reference to the Dynamos supremo moving for Slough teenager Callum Best to add to his other recent signing of Ali Band the week previous.
 
Best is a cracking little player at this level and should fit in nicely to the Dynamos line-up, whilst at the same time leaving Slough with a big hole to fill.
 
“I feel what the team needed at the moment was a centre-man and Callum fits the bill perfectly. He’s a guy I have been looking at over the past couple of seasons and so it’s good to now finally have him on the team and raring to go” said Coach Parrish when speaking with the club’s official website.
 
“I think Callum will add a bit of energy, enthusiasm but also a bit of skill. He’s still early on in his hockey career, and is very keen to impress, and I have no doubt that he will fit in seamlessly with the rest of the lads and provide another boost after a couple of good weeks at the club”
 
Returning briefly to the seamless song reference, will this be the last of Invicta’s signings before the season is finished? That is highly doubtful.
 
It is not often the Pro Hockey News inbox gets mail these days so imagine the delight that spread across the office when a jpeg of Oxford City Stars defenseman Andy Cox’s bruised knee dropped into the inbox. Poor Coxy had managed to get in the way of a slap shot from Bracknell’s Danny Hughes which is as appealing as having a colonic irrigation in a Serbian prison.
 
Hughes has a monster of a shot that probably is slightly quicker than his nearest rival Wightlink’s Dominic Hopkins in the cannon stakes, however both hurt a lot if they mistake your body for the goal. In fact Cox was not the only Stars player to take one for the team in the Hornets v Stars encounter as defenseman Lee Featherstone took a puck in the foot from Hughes and is still yet to skate two weeks later.
 
This rambling about bruises does have a point (well get to it Carr – Ed.), as we will be launching the ENL South Bruise of the week competition from this week forward. Each week, the selected bruise from around the league will be pictured on this round-up until we run out of bruise pictures or we get enough complaints.
 
 
Saturday
 
With fireworks and bonfires lighting up the night sky in celebration of Guy Fawkes night, hockey teams across the league were under pressure from their fans to ensure they put on a display worthy of their commitment.
 
Oxford City Stars and Cardiff ENL Devils were first to face off in a game that in past seasons has seen both sides take points off each other. A rare Saturday game for the Stars meant their crowd was smaller than usual however both teams entered the final period tied at 3-3, before Cardiff romped home in the third with an 8-5 win.
 
Josh Oliver hit a brace for Oxford with Richard Wojciack, Josh Florey and Gareth Endicott also getting on the score sheet. Cardiff scorers were Chris Jones and Robert Sedlak with two goals each along with lone goals from Luke Piggott, Jamie Hayes and James Preece.
 
Stars player Andy Cox received another bruise to add to his collection as he tangled with Devils forward Hayes and the pair dropped the gloves with only a minute remaining in the game.
 
Invicta travelled to Wightlink with their two new signings in tow, but were unable to overcome the resident Raiders as they lost 3-2 in a close affair on the island.
Wightlink raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to first period goals from Jeremy Cornish, Dom Hopkins and Connor Pollard, but Invicta pulled back through efforts from Ryan Ellis and Andy Smith to set up a tense finish.
 
Raiders’ goalie Liam McAllister reportedly put in a fine performance in between the pipes for Wightlink to help his team to a fine win over the ever improving Dynamos.
 
The most surprising thing at Frogmore Street on Saturday night was that Bristol supremo and maverick team owner Richie Hargreaves had not organised an indoor firework display for the period breaks in the game against MK Thunder.
 
Thankfully for the home support there was a spark evident during the periods as Bristol made easy work of the Thunder in a   convincing 6-3 win thanks to four goal hero Steve Osman. Alan Armour and Steven Fisher got the other Bristol goals with Connor Goode bagging two for the Thunder and Maros Stefanco also scoring.
A special mention must go to MK’s goalie Rob McGregor who grabbed a third period shut out after replacing David Cassidy, which is his first ever at this level.
 
Romford Raiders probably expected a reasonably easy fixture in Slough against the Best – less ENL Jets, but penalty trouble ensured that they were never totally comfortable as they edged a 7-6 win. Juraj Huska notched a hat trick for the Raiders with Danny Marshall scoring two and Jason Buckman and Grant Taylor getting one each.
 
 
Sunday
 
Chelmsford’s hopes of catching Romford in the South East Cup took a hammer blow as they lost a close encounter in Invicta 3-2. Former Chelmsford goalie Andy Moffat put in a superb display against his old team as he stonewalled the Chieftains forwards throughout the game.
 
 
Local Invicta legend Andy Smith hit his 700th career point as he hit a brace and just to top of a great night for Parrish and his team, new signing Callum Best scored the game winner to put a smile back on the fans faces after a turbulent couple of weeks.
Danny Hammond and Dwayne Newman were on target for Chelmsford, who also saw defenseman Danny Cox ejected for making an obscene gesture at the referee.
 
Streatham travelled to Oxford looking to get a much needed road win and for once the gods smiled on us as we came away with a 7-5 win. The Redskins hero was Jerry Pavlus who hit a hat trick including a shorthanded effort   to make it five goals in his first two games for us. Ed Koral, Chris Rasmussen, Liam Rasmussen and Peter Molnar were all on target for Streatham in an entertaining fixture. Oxford scorers were Gareth Endicott with a hat trick and lone goals for Shannon Taylor and Dax Hedges.
 
The game was a real nail biter with a thrilling finish but the largest cheer was reserved for Stars defenseman Andrew Shurmer who whilst looking over his shoulder to swear at referee Simon Brown on his way to the penalty box, turned and tripped causing him to swan dive head first into the penalty box kickboards to the amusement of everyone in the building. Shurmer was lucky not to lose his front teeth but had good grace to stand up and acknowledge the crowd with a cheeky smile.
 

Milton Keynes had yet another close encounter at home as they toiled to a 2-1 win over a resolute Slough team. Mk Goalie Cassidy and his opposite number for the Jets Alec Field both put in man of the match performances to keep it close but it was the Goode brothers that sealed the two points for MK with a goal each. Davey Heath getting Slough’s only goal.
 
Romford may have been close to dropping points in Slough the previous night but they made no mistake at home to Wightlink despite the game being close up until the third period.
Romford took two vital points from a tricky fixture thanks to a brace from Juraj Huska and goals from Adam Smith, Grant Taylor, Tom Davis and Billy Phillips.
 
Wightlink scorers were Richard Facey, Jeremy Cornish and Alex Murray with the final score 6-3 in Romford’s favour.
 
The final game of the evening took place in Wales as the struggling Bracknell Hornets were beaten 11-1 by a Cardiff side who celebrated a four point weekend and appear to be hitting a little patch of form.
 
Results
 
Saturday 5 November 2011
 
Oxford City Stars 5 Cardiff Devils 8
Bristol Pitbulls 6 Milton Keynes Thunder 3
Wightlink Raiders 3 Invicta Dynamos 2
Slough Jets 6 Romford Raiders 7
 
Sunday 6 November 2011
 
Romford Raiders 6 Wightlink Raiders 3
Oxford City Stars 5 Streatham Redskins 7
Milton Keynes Thunder 2 Slough Jets 1
Cardiff Devils 11 Bracknell Hornets 1
Invicta Dynamos 3 Chelmsford Chieftains 2 – South East Cup
 
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
N.B The alsation is actually Danny Hughes dog and not a stray we stuck a helmet on, so please no complaints.