LONDON, UK – After another eventful week in the ENL it is difficult to know where to begin. Since ice hockey made a rare appearance in London’s Evening Standard newspaper on Thursday, I think that would be a good place to start.
I know what you are thinking. Ice hockey featuring in London’s most popular evening newspaper, surely not. Could it be Haringey snatching two points from Cardiff due to an administrative error, or maybe some scandal in the build up to the Streatham Redskins Christmas party?
Sharpshooter Alan Green gets hat trick (photo by Tim Bowers)
Actually none of these topical stories featured, however whilst sitting on a packed train full of commuters, I did get to read about players of the Green Bay Gamblers (of Wisconsin, USA) killing a bat with their hockey sticks.
It reminded me of when Alan Green, Jacob Smith and I all attended a pre season hockey camp over in Lake Placid two years ago. We were in the middle of late night shooting practice in the famous Olympic rink, when a bat started flying over the ice. This prompted a number of players to start chasing it around the ice swinging their sticks in the air to try and hit the poor creature.
As the Americans whooped and laughed trying to nail the bat, the mood soon turned to terror when someone shouted ‘the bat has got rabies’. This prompted some of the more nervous players to scurry off the ice rather quickly, and the would-be bat killers to return to shooting drills. Obviously the three Brits stood calm as ever, shooting pucks as normal. If there had been a flask of tea on the bench, we would have probably have sat and sipped it as our American friends panicked. Maybe I should have contacted the Evening Standard with the story on my return?
Game awarded 5-0 to Haringey despite ending 10-4 to Cardiff (photo by Tim Bowers)
Regular readers of my column will remember me criticising the EIHA earlier in the season as I believe them to favour the bigger clubs when contentious decisions have to be made. Imagine my surprise then, whilst skating up at Alexandra Palace with the London Devils rec team, when I heard that Haringey had been awarded the two points despite the 10-4 loss in Cardiff last week. The reason for the decision was an administrative error by Cardiff on the game sheet.
A real kick in the nuts for Coach Mark Cuddihy and his team, not to mention the Milton Keynes Thunder, who now face a real uphill task to catch the Greyhounds courtesy of not only this error, but also Wightlink’s missing kit saga a few weeks ago that gifted the Londoners two more points. Cardiff are due to appeal the decision so I will be watching with interest to see how the EIHA handle it.
On Saturday, Invicta coach Kevin Parrish received even more good news when his teams’ other title rival Chelmsford Chieftains suffered a 4-2 defeat in Bracknell. The Hornets are in red hot form at the minute and Duggan, Tribe, Avery and Barker did the damage to put a massive dent in the Chieftains title ambitions.
Bracknell Hornets are on top form (photo by Tim Bowers)
The Chieftains seemed to have been missing a number of players, which proves that it’s not just the lower placed teams that seem to suffer on Saturday fixtures. To add to Dean Birrell’s woes, defenseman Danny Wright popped his groin during the game, meaning he will be out of action in more ways than one over Christmas.
Peterborough Islanders must be delighted that they battled the snow and ice to get to the Isle of Wight. They probably hoped that the Solent estuary would be frozen over, with ferry services suspended. Unfortunately for the Islanders the ferries still operated as normal and Wightlink thrashed them 8-0. A hat trick from defender turned forward Alex Murray did most of the damage for the home side, who were never in danger of losing this fixture. One worry for Raiders Coach Jeremy Cornish will be the suspension of James Udell, after he was given a match penalty.
Haringey Greyhounds boosted their roster for the trip to Invicta on Sunday, by signing former Chelmsford and Slough utility man Adam Grey on a short term contract, as well as Alastair Band on two way deal with Romford Raiders.
Sadly both failed to have any impact as the Dynamos went on the rampage. Five goals from Nolan Boike boosted his personal points tally after an indifferent start to his career with the Kent club. In the end the score was 12-2 to Invicta, but it was good to see former Dynamo Gary Dodds get a goal against his old team for the Greyhounds. Every time I speak to ‘Doddsanov’ he seems ready for retirement, but I have to say when I have seen him this season he is still one of the Greyhounds better forwards.
A poor weekend for the Essex side (photo by Tim Bowers)
Chelmsford aimed to bounce back against us (Streatham Redskins) down at the High Road rink on a bitterly cold night in South London. The Chieftains never really got going, and with the likes of the Rasmussen brothers hustling every loose puck for the Redskins, the young Chelmsford guys couldn’t get any kind of flow together. Man of the match Perry Richardson and Louis Lockwood put the Redskins in a surprise lead but the Chieftains hit back through Jerry Pavlus and BT Williams.
In the end I really think we could have won it. The atmosphere was class and with the old rink bouncing, Chelmsford seemed to go into their shell. I keep telling the lads that nobody likes coming to Streatham, especially when we put in the effort and throw the body around. It is the Southern equivalent of Whitley Bay with its hostile fans and rickety boards, and if we can make it a fortress then it will push us up towards the play offs.
EIHA chief Ken Taggart not delivering to Wales this year.
I mentioned Alan Green’s shooting practice in Lake Placid a couple of years ago and to be fair to him, he has an absolute cannon when he gets it away. He notched a hat trick for Oxford City Stars against an MK Thunder side who haven’t had a fixture for weeks. The Thunder must be feeling rather sorry for themselves given the points Haringey have picked up off the ice recently, and unless they pull something out the bag, they will be facing division 2 next year.
The Stars ended up winning 8-3 and also faced former defenseman Lee Featherstone for the first time since his transfer to Milton Keynes. Despite their problems, I think this result has less to do with the Thunder and more to do with the resurgent City Stars. Oxford and Bracknell are now in top form and Chelmsford and Cardiff will be looking nervously over their shoulders.
Returning to the ice in January (photo by Dave West)
I hope that everyone has a lovely Christmas and please look out for my ENL mid term review next week.
Thanks for reading and stay safe.
Carrsy
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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