ENL South Round-up Week 5

LONDON, UK – The busiest schedule in ENL South so far this season, gave fans seven fixtures to choose from over two days.
 
British hockey fans had been counting down to this weekend in their calendars for a number of weeks owing to the visit of the Bruins to play against Belfast. No, not Pete Quiney and the Streatham Bruins, but the actual Boston Bruins of the NHL. With this fixture taking place, some ENL fans opted to head across the Irish Sea for a once in a lifetime chance to see the legendary Bruins in action against a British side. Those that stayed behind saw plenty of goals and emotion this weekend in the ENL.

After a woeful start to the season, Bristol Pitbulls management figured that the best way to change their bad luck was to get the team a mascot. I must admit at first glance, the picture of their new ‘Pitbull’ resembled one of the evil rabbits from the Watership Down movie. Not one for the kids to cuddle at bed time I would wager.
 
Regardless of this, the team’s main motivation in their game at home to Milton Keynes Thunder, derived from altogether more sombre news. Former MK Lightning player Geoff O’Hara is part of the Bristol hockey family, and following his sister’s tragic death seven days earlier, he pulled on a Pitbulls shirt for the first time after a spell away from the sport. The minutes silence for Sara Peel Yates was poignant and no doubt stirred deep emotion in the home side and fans in attendance.
 
There is something about the way hockey often comes together during life’s harsh times that gives us all a little more strength when we need it. We give a lot to the game but sometimes, just sometimes it can give you something in return.
 
Once the game started it was clear that both sides were up for a physical and sometimes chippy contest. The Pitbulls ended up 6-4 winners and ended their winless run. O’Hara made sure the script went to plan by hitting two goals on his debut, as did Alan Armour with Richie Hargreaves and Mike Hargreaves also getting on the score sheet. Thunder goals came courtesy of a brace from Jamie Line and one each for Connor Goode and Dan Chaplen.
 
The visitors had a miserable visit to Frogmore Street with a host of players picking up injuries, including Jamie Randall who took a nasty stick to the eye and Mike Lucas who had to go to hospital for treatment for a head wound.
 
With Tiger Woods snoozing less than twenty miles away in the Celtic Manor Resort, Cardiff hosted Oxford City Stars, with both teams’ looking for better than the 5-5 tie they played out a few weeks ago. Alan Green gave the Stars the lead only for Tim Burrows and Gareth Dixon to swing momentum in favour of the home side with one period remaining. The Stars were not to be outdone though, as Josh Oliver hit the equaliser and the game finished 2-2.
 
The final game on Saturday took place on the Isle of Wight, as the Chelmsford Chieftains finally faced off their season against the resident Wightlink Raiders. It was a big relief to fans of the Essex side, who have been unable to start the season due to overrunning rink maintenance issues. A lack of training and match practice is rarely rewarded; however the Chieftains did put up a spirited performance on the Island.
 
The Raiders were 4-2 victors with youngster Robbie Brown stealing the headlines with two goals to his name. Jeremy Cornish and Brad Watchorn scored the other goals for the Raiders with Tom Long and Aaron Connolly getting the goals for the Chieftains. Chelmsford’s Danny Cox marked his debut by dropping the gloves with Wightlink’s Brad Watchorn, in a rematch between the two from a few years ago (in Romford and Bracknell colours respectively).
 
On Sunday, Wightlink travelled to South London to take on a Streatham Redskins side unbeaten so far this season. Sadly I was unable to play in the game having been in bed with flu all week, but I doubt I would have made any difference to the 6-0 win for the visitors. One person who may have made a difference was our Slovakian Tomas Valko who was also missing due to a knee injury.
 
Even then I doubt it would have altered the score line as the Raiders were comfortable winners. Nothing clicked for Streatham and Wightlink must have been wondering what all the fuss had been about, as we huffed and puffed in a strangely subdued performance.
 
Credit must go to the visitors though for a clinical performance in a venue that many teams’ often find it difficult to play. Robbie Brown and Nathan Taylor were quick, agile and alert to pounce on Redskins errors when it mattered. That duo caused problems all evening as did Jason Gorrie, who got two goals to his name. The impressive Richard Facey also got two and both Brad Watchorn and Brown got one each.
 
Other action included Redskins’ Richard Hardy tussling with Raiders’ Nathan Taylor and then Jeremy Cornish, followed by fights between Michael Ranby and Andrew Robinson at the same time as Lukas Zilak and Kev Tanner traded blows. All in all a disappointing performance for us, but I personally thought we showed signs of fragility in Milton Keynes last week, but this time the Raiders did what the Thunder failed to do, and punished us with some well taken goals. We will regroup and come out strong in Chelmsford next week I am sure.
 
If the Redskins thought they had a bad day at the office, they weren’t alone. Oxford City Stars must have fancied their chances against a Chelmsford side still weary from their loss in the Isle of Wight the previous night. On paper this was going to be a close game but in reality it was a convincing 7-1 win for the Chieftains.
 
Chieftains Head Coach Dean Birrell will be delighted with his team getting two points on the road after such a delay to the season. The goals for the Chieftains came courtesy of a brace from Blaho Novak and one each for BT Williams, Rudi Dzurko, Danny Hammond, Tom Long and Matt Turner. Oxfords solitary effort came from Wayne Fiddes.
 
Bristol aimed to build on their first win of the season the previous night with a difficult trip across the country to take on Invicta Dynamos. Sadly for Richie Hargreaves and his men, the reigning champions brushed them aside comfortably with a 6-1 routine win.
 
Goals from Daniel Borges, Corey Watkins, Tom Dennis, Adam Copland, Callum Fowler and Captain Karl Lennon, did the business for the Dynamos with Luke Merrick grabbing the Pitbulls solitary effort. The result took Invicta to their usual position at the top of ENL South Division One, although they share the summit with the Redskins and the Wightlink Raiders.
 
Romford Raiders hosted a bruised and battered MK Thunder side missing their entire second line and Mike Lucas. This would have been a difficult fixture for the visitors even at full strength so the 8-2 win for Romford was perhaps not unexpected.
 
Two goals each for Anthony Leone, Frankie Harvey and Pierre Wilhelmsson, added to one each for Danny Marshall and AJ Smith got the Raiders the win, with Ross Bowers and Lewis Clifford scoring the Thunders goals.
 
The win over MK makes it two home wins out of two for Romford so at least the fans at Rom Valley Way are getting to see some winning hockey this year. Hopefully this will ensure some bumper crowds as the year goes on.
 
The last game on Sunday took place at the Link Centre in Swindon with the visiting Cardiff ENL Devils taking a 6-1 win over the ENL Wildcats. The result brings the Wildcats back to earth with a bump following last weeks heroics in Bracknell.
 
So there you have it, another week of goals, fights and ENL action with all the teams now up and running. I don’t know about you, but I think its going to be a rollercoaster season with upsets and drama all the way. Now I just need to shift this flu and get back on the ice. Note: Funeral service for Sara Peel Yates to be held on Thursday October 7, at 1.30 pm, at South Bristol Crematorium. Family flowers only, donations, if desired, for Cerebral Palsy, may be sent c/o Thomas Davis, 57 Sandy Park Road, Brislington, BS4 3PQ. I’m sure I speak for all of the ice hockey community when I say that our thoughts are with Geoff O’Hara and his family at this difficult time. 
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com