ROMFORD, UK – Frankie Harvey’s hat-trick saw the Raiders home after a slow start had threatened to curtail their chase for second place on Sunday. With a 3-3 tie in Chelmsford on Saturday all but wrapping up second place for the Chieftains, the Raiders knew they had to keep the pressure on with a win over the visiting Oxford City Stars on the penultimate weekend of regular season fixtures. The Stars, themselves battling for playoff position at the lower end of the table, made a swift start as goals by Ken Forshee and Gareth Endicott gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at the first interval. Forshee’s goal came on the game’s second shot, a big rebound in-front after Glen Jackson had denied Endicott from the blueline. Jackson started between the pipes after Raiders’ #1 Michael Gray left Saturday’s game with a knee injury that will likely keep him out until the playoffs. Despite a slow start, he stood firm as the Raiders mounted a second period comeback led by the excellent Harvey. Juraj Huska’s early goal laid the foundations for Harvey’s tying and go-ahead goals later in the period. The 18-year old scored from the blueline at the tail-end of a powerplay before firing a shot from the right circle that Stars’ goaltender Jamie Thompson could only partially turn aside. The puck hung in air, spinning over Thompson’s shoulder before trickling across the line. AJ Smith, Huska and Anthony Leone scored either side of the second intermission to stretch the Raiders’ lead to a comfortable 6-2 in the third, before Harvey completed his hat-trick on a wide-open rebound between the circles after Buckman had pushed hard to the net. It was a much deserved marker for the game’s best player. Huska left the game late in the third period and did not return after a collision at centre ice. With another two points in the bag and third place all but confirmed, attention will now turn to the walking wounded ahead of a potential playoff match-up with the Cardiff Devils on April 9/10th. Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com
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