LONDON, UK – After the NIHL Cup drama of the previous week it was back to league action as Chelmsford Chieftains finally clinched the league title and left the rest of the teams prepping for the Play-Offs.
League Champions Chelmsford Chieftains
Solent Devils have enjoyed some good form recently and had positive press down on the South Coast. To satisfy the media scrum they have begun to release some YouTube 60 second interview pieces that begin with their infamous ‘skate out music’ that gets everyone in the mood for smoke machines, Adidas Gazelle trainers and whistles.
The latest one features an interesting piece with long serving player and Coach Alex Murray, who praised his young team for their efforts this year. You can listen to it HERE
‘First World Problems’ is a phrase that appears quite a lot these days and nowhere was this more apparent than at the Isle of Wight Arena where the toilet in the first aid room was put out of action during the week.
Not just big… Massive!
Nothing to do with the damage done to the Arena in recent storms, nor the building work outside, as a ‘massive poo’ was blamed for the closure, in one of the best handmade signs ever spotted at a British sporting facility.
The question everyone was asking (although at the time of writing it had not made the Isle of Wight County Press) was just who was to blame for the blockbuster? If anyone is happy to point the finger email us at the usual address.
On a lighter note, literally, Raiders coach Jeremy Cornish revealed that Napoleon Dynamite is his favourite ever movie in his interview with the matchday programme. Even more surprising was his choice of Old Spice as his favourite aftershave, which is possibly down to the fact he grew up in Canada.
Anyone of his age in the UK would have chosen either CK One, Davidoff Cool Water or something by Issey Miyake.
Highlights from both Cup Semi Finals appeared online during the week with the Wightlink v Chelmsford highlights available to view HERE and the Invicta Dynamos v Streatham Redskins online HERE.
One team that have been a big miss to the league since they had to drop down a level are the Bristol Pitbulls.
The smell of Pitbulls hockey still lingers
The team had to leave NIHL 1 when their rink closed as they had no permanent venue to play out of.
Whilst we all miss the entertaining hockey, wacky promotions and vast range of merchandise that would put some Premier League football clubs to shame, it’s fair to say that the rink did not match the quality of the team when it was open.
As with many UK ice rinks, the facilities may be awful but they are better than no facility at all and when a selection of pictures appeared on the internet showing the rink after its closure, it no doubt brought a lump to the throat of many people.
You can view the images on the fascinating website HERE
It doesn’t matter how old you are or how long you have played the game, watching a team mate drink from a water bottle with a deliberately loosened lid never fails to raise a smile.
Lids off for the lads – Hart gets pranked
So imagine our delight when footage emerged of Cardiff player Chris Hart getting wet on Twitter.
As hockey pranks go, it’s up there with leg tape on skate blades in the hilarity stakes but will never beat an incident Pro Hockey News witnessed in Sheffield a few years ago when a burger bun was filled with an item similar in substance to that which annihilated the Isle of Wight Arena first aid room.
The polystyrene box from hell was then presented to a hockey coach during the period break in a zany act that didn’t even faze him.
Hockey players eh? Not quite as bad as the rugby boys but not the kind of guys you want at your house party – unless you have good insurance.
Saturday’s Hockey
Chelmsford Chieftains clinched the league title with five games to spare, as they beat a plucky Cardiff NIHL Devils side 9-5 at the Big Blue Tent.
The Chieftains started the season like a train and left everyone else playing catch up thanks to their excellent core of players that are available at the start of each and every season.
The championship has not been in doubt since around December so in one way it’s a shame for the Chieftains and their fans that the final winning game took place so far away.
Bartlett on target
Juraj Huska and Grant Bartlett scored two each for the Essex side with Cameron Bartlett, Ross Brears, Danny Wright, Anthony Leone and James Ayling getting one apiece.
Cardiff made a fight of it and scored thanks to a brace from Jamie Hayes and one each for Kieran Latchford, Sam Bryant and Jon Nash.
The result meant that Invicta’s faint hopes of a late challenge to the title was extinguished and that the rest of the league campaign for most teams will continue in apathetic fashion until probably the Cup final and play-offs.
London Raiders staged an epic comeback at Bracknell Hornets as they came from 3-0 behind to win 7-3.
Marek Nahlik and Rio Grinell-Parke starred for the Londoners with two goals each, with John Connolly, Mason Webster and David Oliver getting the rest.
For Bracknell it was JJ Pitchley, Danny House and Josh Waller with the goals.
Wightlink Raiders hosted Streatham Redskins in a re-arranged game that meant the visitors disappointingly showed up with only ten skaters.
Bracknell break dancing cant stop London (Kev Slyfield)
What should have been a good game between the 3rd and 4th place teams in the league turned into a cakewalk for the Raiders as Streatham’s lack of numbers left them fading badly as the game went on.
Wightlink won 6-1 with Ryan Webb and Danny Rose getting a brace each to ad to lone goals from Damon Larter and Nick Compton.
Liam Rasmussen got the goal for Streatham who lost import Kamil Kinkor in the first period for a slash on Brendan Baird. The Wightlink youngster was also sent for an early shower after retaliating with a check to the head.
The final game of the evening took place on the South Coast as Invicta Dynamos put Solent Devils to the sword with an impressive 9-3 road win.
Two goals each for Eriks Ozollapa, Callum Fowler and Nicky Lewis added to efforts from Steven Osman, Bailey Wootton and Arran Strawson to seal the two points for Invicta.
For Solent it was Mitchell Murray with two goals and a lone effort from Richard Facey.
The result kept Invicta ahead of Wightlink and on course to finish second in the league.
Sunday Hockey
The big game of the day was between Invicta and Chelmsford at Silverblades despite the fact in truth it was a dead rubber.
The Chieftains edged out the home side 2-1 thanks to goals from Billy Phillips and Darren Brown. Arran Strawson scored the lone goal for the Mo’s.
Solent Devils looked all set for their first win in Streatham for a number of years as they raced into a 3-0 first period lead in South London.
Birthday boy gets mobbed after winner (Rick Webb)
Sadly for their fans, their tired troops were unable to finish the job off and Streatham battled back to take a 5-4 win.
Callum Best bagged a hat trick for the Londoners to add to goals from Chris Wiggins and birthday boy Joe Johnston.
Ralfs Circenis, Mason Wild, Alex Cole and Mitchell Murray scored the goals for Solent.
London Raiders fans hoping for a four point weekend were left disappointed as Oxford City Stars skated off with a 6-3 win in East London.
Josh Florey top scored with two for the visitors to add to goals from Josh Ealey-Newman, Ben Ealey-Newman, Darren Elliott and Ondrej Pekarik.
John Connolly, Rio Grinell-Parke and Tom Davis scored the goals for the Raiders who hit penalty trouble in the third period and were punished by the Stars powerplay.
Devils so close to win as Trendall shines again (Rick Webb)
Wightlink fans were wondering if the UK border force were stopping hockey players at the port, as Bracknell became the latest team to travel to the island with a short bench.
The Raiders were even more ruthless than the previous night as they romped to a 12-1 win over the depleted Hornets.
A hat trick from Craig Tribe, two goals for Jeremy Cornish and Ryan Webb added to solo efforts from Alex Sampford, Kieran Annis, Danny Rose, Ben Paynter and Danny Ingoldsby made it a four point weekend for the Raiders.
Josh Waller got the goal for Bracknell who sit 5 points ahead of Cardiff and cannot yet relax from any relegation fears.
Results
Saturday 5 March 2016
Wightlink Raiders 6-1 Streatham Redskins
Cardiff NIHL Devils 5-9 Chelmsford Chieftains
Solent Devils 3-9 Invicta Dynamos
Bracknell Hornets 3-7 London Raiders
Sunday 6 March 2016
Streatham Redskins 5-4 Solent Devils
Invicta Dynamos 1-2 Chelmsford Chieftains
London Raiders 3-6 Oxford City Stars
Wightlink Raiders 12-1 Bracknell Hornets
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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