ROMFORD, UK – Wightlink became the first team this season to leave Rom Valley Way with so much as a point, putting on a defensive clinic before skating away with a deserved 3-1 win on Sunday evening. Both teams came into the contest full of confidence after a successful Saturday, Romford edging out Cardiff 7-5 in South Wales and Wightlink effortlessly dispatching Swindon 17-1 on home ice.
Romford goaltender Michael Gray and Wightlink’s Matt Colclough were both excellent on the night, turning aside shot after shot as the extra-man opportunities mounted for both teams. Romford in particular will be left to rue a host of missed chances at 5-on-4. Wightlink’s penalty kill units were tight and efficient, removing the shooting lanes and collapsing down low to prevent Romford’s strong passing game from becoming a deciding factor. Restricted largely to perimeter shots off the rush, Romford were never really able to get much going as they mustered a season-low 22 shots on goal.
Wightlink themselves failed to produce much on a pair of 5-on-3 attempts as Romford’s penalty kill did it’s absolute best to keep the home side even with some heroic clearances. Tempers flared occasionally as the scoreless encounter boiled over in frustration, most notably when Romford’s Grant Baxter and Wightlink’s player/coach Jeremy Cornish dropped the gloves for an energetic tilt.
It was the visiting Raiders that would ultimately head home with the points though as they put up three goals in the final 12 minutes of the game. Dom Hopkins swept home a feed from Cornish that nestled neatly in the bottom right-hand corner of Michael Gray’s net, before Alex Murray rifled home a loose puck after a scramble in the crease and Richard Facey capitalised on a tired looking defence to split the two men back and beat Gray in tight. James Murnane scored what turned out to be a mere consolation goal for the home team, burying Tom Davis’ feed as Romford pushed to find a way back into the game at 2-0.
Both sides hit the iron in a hectic opening period that provided a welcome contrast to last weeks stop-start first against Cardiff. Frankie Harvey deked his way toward Colclough’s goal before snapping a wrist shot off the post a mere minute or two after Wightlink had done the same at the other end. It seemed inevitable that one of the two would head into the break with the lead such were the near misses at both ends, but with the officials becoming more than a tad whistle happy the game broke down into a special teams dogfight.
Danny Marshall’s men will undoubtedly be frustrated with the lack of discipline on show; twice Romford negated power plays with minor calls of their own, whilst a pair of 5-on-3’s chances against won’t be something the team will care to repeat as they head into a big weekend against Chelmsford and Invicta next week. Contact the author at alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com
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