LONDON, UK – As kids danced in bin bags on lawns across the UK singing for pound coins, the NIHL continued on its rollercoaster trajectory and British Gas paid a visit to some quarters.
Bees hold firm (Fusional)
A week is a long time in hockey and this was proven in the case of young Scot Harry Ferguson. The forward was announced as released by Peterborough Phantoms last Sunday, only to step up to the Elite League in MK Lightning colours before the following weekend.
Ferguson not only avoided the cold shower in Invicta with his old team on Sunday as a result, but also got to make a homecoming of sorts with a triple header in the Elite League against Glasgow, Dundee and Fife for his new team.
Bison serve up a treat
It was not the only transfer news of the week as a number of teams started to shuffle their pack. In Bracknell, Coach Doug Sheppard wasted no time picking up Swedish forward David Millner. Millner last played two seasons ago in his native Sweden and is a student living locally in Uxbridge.
Just when Invicta Dynamos fans thought the season couldn’t get any more frustrating, local sporting hero and former player Ashley Jackson was announced as signing for the Everyone Active Raiders in Romford.
The GB field hockey star was of course a previous PHN All-Star and his signing is also a statement of intent from Raiders coach Sean Easton, bidding to reverse a slump in form.
In Basingstoke, popular netminder Dan Weller-Evans took time out from his ram packed schedule to sit down and do a podcast interview with Banners on the Wall. You can listen to it here.
Also in Bison land, the team paid a visit to sponsors Zizzi and acted as waiters for the night in the name of fundraising for the Ark Cancer Charity. By all accounts it was a popular evening with both players and supporter’s alike and brought light relief from the week’s other news that a public forum would be held by Planet Ice on 3rd November to discuss the future of the rink.
Saturday review
New signing David Millner was drafted straight into the Bees team in place of defenseman Niko Suoraniemi for the game against Streatham in South London.
A rare 1-0 scoreline in the NIHL ended with two points to the Bees as Roman Malinik was the only player to manage to net over 60 minutes. Bees’ goalie Danny Milton and RedHawks stopper Damien King deservedly picked up the man of the match beers for their respective teams. Where this leaves Suoraniemi is anyone’s guess, as there has been no mention of an injury.
Hey Slava, our lad got 2 goals last week, put him on the PP
It was ‘Dad’s night’ in Peterborough as the Phantoms beat the Raiders 5-2 in a tense encounter to make it 8 wins in a row.
Petr Stepanek and Ales Padelek both scored twice for the hosts with Corey McEwen also continuing his good form with another goal. Jake Sylvester and Dan Scott scored for the Raiders.
Padelek also gave an audio interview following the encounter where he admitted he was happy with his hockey this year and showed he had taken his media training course module when quizzed on the Ferguson departure.
Swindon bounced back from their defeat on home ice the previous weekend to thump MK Thunder 9-0 at the Link Centre. The curse of the Halloween jerseys was nowhere to be seen as Chris Jones and Jan Kostal both hit a brace to add to goals from Adam Harding, Luc Johnson, Aaron Nell, Sam Godfrey and Edgars Bebris.
Renny Marr and Michael Crisp shared the shut out for the Cats.
After a drubbing on the road the previous weekend, Invicta needed to put in an improved performance in Basingstoke, and so they did, despite going down 5-3 to the Bison.
Adam Jones, Tom Ralph, George Norcliffe, Danny Ingolsby and Liam Morris scored for Basingstoke with Edmund Piacka, Martin Susters and Brandon Miles replying for the Dynamos.
Sunday review
A Chris Jones double helped Swindon make it a four point weekend as the Cats survived a scare on the road in Romford before notching a 3-2 win at the Sapphire. Sam Bullas got the other goal for Swindon with Brandon Ayliffe and Callum Wells on target for the Raiders.
The light is on… we DRINK!
Peterborough cemented second place in the league with a 9-2 win in Kent against Invicta. The Phantoms boasted nine different scorers with Brad Bowering, Nathan Pollard, Glenn Billing, Petr Stepanek, Will Weldon, Corey McEwan, Ales Padelek and Robbie Ferrara all netting. Anthony Leone and Edmund Piacka got the consolations for the Mos.
The goal fest allowed the Phantoms social media team to unveil more goal GIFs which quite frankly ranged from the impressive – Pollard firing a mint in the air and catching it in his mouth, to the random – Weldon pouring a glass of lambrini then necking it.
Talking of which, wine guzzling part time NIHL Media outlet 482 Days were in Kent tweeting live from the game. All jokes aside, it was good to see them back in action despite “woeful parking” that left many of the disabled bays outside the rink out of reach for fans trying to get to the game.
Moves like Jagger
In the much anticipated clash between Bracknell and Basingstoke there was plenty of drama as former Bison netminder Dean Skinns posted a 23 shot shut out to help his team to a 2-0 win at the Hive.
Bees’ goals came from Brendan Baird and Roman Malinik, in a game that exploded at the end with fists flying as Adam Jones and James Galazzi danced. In the background Bees livewire Ryan Watt entertained the crowd with a little dance of his own earning himself a ten minute misconduct from referee Stephen Matthews in the process. Watch it HERE
The results leave the Bees top but the title race well and truly on.
Results
Saturday 20 October 2018
Basingstoke Bison 5 Invicta Dynamos 3
Streatham IHC 0 Bracknell Bees 1
Peterborough Phantoms 5 Everyone Active Raiders 2
Swindon Wildcats 9 MK Thunder 0
Sunday 21 October 2018
Bracknell Bees 2 Basingstoke Bison 0
Invicta Dynamos 2 Peterborough Phantoms 9
Everyone Active Raiders 2 Swindon Wildcats 3
Contact the author: carrsy2@gmail.com
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