ENL South Round-up Week 16

LONDON, UK – Despite a fixture list left in tatters courtesy of the Arctic weather sweeping the UK, the weekly round-up still survives.
 
As ever there was plenty to talk about last week, not least a frank and open statement from Invicta coach Kevin Parrish regarding his dismissal of Canadian forward Daniel Calitri.
 

 
“He had a couple of digs at the boys and it got to the stage where was Daniel Calitri here to play for Invicta Dynamos or was he here to play for Daniel Calitri” Parrish was quoted as saying by Kent News.
 
“I don’t build a team like that, whether you’re an import player or someone who’s been with us two seasons, everyone is equal”
 
Not one to hang around, the Dynamos coach quickly signed Nicky Lewis from Sheffield Steeldogs as a replacement. Twenty three year old Lewis was a big hit at the Ice Bowl last season before stepping up a league with the Steeldogs, but it clearly has not worked out for the Welshman at the cash strapped Sheffield club.
 
Parrish also boosted his forward options by calling up Dan Fudger on a full time basis from the second string Invicta Mustangs.
 
Another forward dropping back down to the ENL from the EPL was Ben Duggan, who was transferred from Bracknell Bees to Bracknell Hornets. Duggan had a great 2009/10 season with the Hornets so it is a shame that his call up to the Bees was short lived.
 
Duggan joins Lewis and Steve Fisher as ENL stand outs from last season whose EPL ventures have been cut short already this year.
 
 
Saturday
 
The fixtures fell like dominos as one after the other was cancelled due to the bad weather. This meant that Romford, Swindon, Bracknell and Bristol all missed out on gate money ahead of the Christmas period. It was also sad that some initiatives proposed by clubs on the night failed to go ahead.
 
Romford had a kids go free promotion whilst Wightlink’s Christmas party for players and fans was eagerly anticipated. Despite the postponement of their game against Swindon, Wightlink pushed ahead with their social event regardless. Head Coach Jeremy Cornish held a Q&A session with fans but it was undoubtedly a light hearted event given the team’s success so far this season.
 
Sunday
 
Yet again the snow decimated the fixtures on Sunday however one went ahead. Luckily for this column, it just so happened to be Streatham Redskins at home to Wightlink Raiders. It takes more than a little snow to stop the hardy souls in South London and the Isle of Wight getting their hockey fix.
 
To be perfectly honest it was a game we could have done without. A few of the squad (me included) seem to have picked up a bug and the locker room before the match sounded like a doctors surgery waiting room, lots of coughing and spluttering.
 
The game started in pretty much the manner in which it would continue. Wightlink put us under pressure from the start and we just couldn’t get past their neutral zone trap whenever we tried to attack. Dom Hopkins broke the deadlock for the visitors with his first of the night courtesy of a predictable boomer from the blue line, and then goals from Jason Gorrie, Robbie Brown, Richard Facey, Jeremy Cornish and a second from Hopkins made it 6-0.
 
It was not a game for the neutrals to be fair, as Wightlink didn’t really get out of second gear, whilst we huffed and puffed to no reward. We now have a much needed weekend off ahead of us before more tough fixtures in January.

One thing to mention from a Redskins perspective however was a man of the match performance by James Tanner. Despite having a pair of bright yellow pads, Tanner had a great game in between the pipes and deserved his man of the match award. I don’t think any club in ENL South can count on such a depth of goalies as Streatham.
 
Thank you all for reading over 2010, it is a shame that the year ends on a bit of a whimper as far as the ENL is concerned, however we have the business end of the league campaign to come, not to mention the play-offs.
 
Enjoy the Christmas and New Year period and look out for the ENL South mid season review over the festive period.
 
I hope you have all enjoyed reading our coverage of the ENL on Pro Hockey News this year and thanks again for your support.
 
Carrsy
 
Results
 
Saturday 18 December 2010
 
Romford P-P Cardiff
Bristol P-P Chelmsford
Bracknell P-P Streatham
Wightlink P-P Swindon
 
Sunday 19 December 2010
 
Oxford P-P Bracknell
Streatham 0-6 Wightlink
Cardiff P-P Milton Keynes
Swindon P-P Chelmsford
Invicta P-P Romford
 
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com