The Bees welcomed the Manchester Phoenix to The Hive in the fifth meeting between the sides this season on Saturday evening. The Bees were still without Scott Spearing and Rupert Quiney due to injury whilst the visiting Phoenix added a number of loan players; Ben Paynter and Michael Whillock from Oxford City Stars; Alex Cole, Matt Lawday, Alex Trendall and Mason Wild from the Solent Devils; Tom Asprey, Grant Richardson and Ryan McFarlane from the Bristol Pitbulls. Netminders Matt Smital, for the Bees, and Stephen Fone for the Phoenix, started the match in the respective goals. Referee Tim Pickett took charge of the match with James Ions and Matthew Carrington 
on the lines.
A scrappy start to the opening period saw both teams struggle to get a grip on the game. The returning Bees captain Matt Foord took control of the puck and fired in from the blue line forcing Stephen Fone, in the Phoenix net, to cover up early on. Manchester, from the resulting face off, tried to clear their defensive zone but young Jack Hayes did well to keep the puck in and let the Bees apply some early pressure to the Phoenix defence. Alex Barker tried a wrap-around effort but Stephen Fone did well to get his stick down and deflect the puck away. The Phoenix managed to clear the zone and head down the ice and fire a shot in that Matt Smital, in the Bees net, had to be alert to tip the puck over the cross bar. The Bees collected the loose puck and Luka Basic found Carl Thompson well who in turn passed to Rio Grinell-Parke who slotted the puck home for the Bees first goal at the four minute marker. The home side Bees kept up the pressure but the Phoenix defence did well to prevent any clear chances, although Danny Ingoldsby tried a shot from close range but Stephen Fone had it covered. Just before the half way stage of first period Lukas Smital found Alex Barker with an accurate pass and the forward fired in the Bees second goal of the evening over Stephen Fone’s shoulder. From the center ice face off Bracknell were straight back into the Phoenix zone with Olegs Lascenko firing a shot just wide of the post. Shaun Thompson tried to walk the puck in but again Stephen Fone cleared the puck but only to Lukas Smital who passed to Shaun Thompson but his shot deflected off Stephen Fone’s face mask. James Galazzi collected a two minute slashing penalty six seconds before the fourteenth minute of the period. With the Bees short-handed Lukas Smital pounced on a loose puck and skated around the back of 
Fone’s net and passed the puck out front for Shaun Thompson to slot the puck home for the Bees short-handed third goal at the fifteen minute mark. The last few minutes of the period saw more pressure from the Bees but no chances on net.
The second period started as the opening one had finished with Bracknell camped in the Phoenix zone. Shaun Thompson found Alex Barker well who in turn passed to Lukas Smital who fires a slap shot into the bottom corner of the net for Bracknell’s fourth goal with just under four minutes gone in the second stanza. The visiting Phoenix, from the face off, let rip with a shot from distance on Matt Smital but this was deflected away. The Phoenix collected their first penalty of the game with Gareth O’Flaherty picking up a two minute tripping minor with just under six minutes of the period in the book. The defensive unit of the Phoenix were called into action again and did very well to keep the Bees at bay and kill the penalty effectively. On loan Grant Richardson had a breakaway opportunity and went one on one with Matt Smital but the big netminder pulled off a glove save and covered for the whistle. Bees’ defenceman Josh Tetlow cleared the puck to Danny Ingoldsby who fired a quick wrist shot over the bar. David Gaborcik tried a blue line slap shot but Stephen Fone was equal to it with a blocker save to deny any chance of goal. Another on loan player for the Phoenix Thomas Asprey collected a two minute boarding penalty at the thirty three minute marker and again the Phoenix defence did well to keep the Bees at bay, and kill off the penalty. With just under two minutes left of the period Bees captain Matt Foord headed to the penalty box to take a seat for a two minute cross check penalty.
The home side Bees started the third and final period short-handed for six seconds and the penalty expired with no chances for the Phoenix. Grant Richardson clears the puck to Mike Whillock who skates in over the Bees blue line and fires in a slap shot effort which flew straight past Matt Smital and into the back of the net for the Phoenix’s first goal, at forty two minutes. The Bees Alex Barker shot in on net from distance forcing Stephen Fone into another big blocker save. Some nice passing between Lukas Smital, Alex Barker and Shaun Thompson kept the Phoenix defence occupied and the result was space for a shot that sailed narrowly wide of the Phoenix post. Some end to 
end play from both sides saw a limited opportunities and few clear cut chances. With a little under eight minutes left of the game the Bees extended their lead further as Josh Smith netted their fifth goal of the evening, with assists going to Danny Ingoldsby and James Galazzi. As the game clock ticked down and the match coming to a close Bees forward James Galazzi had a shot ping off the post and away into the comer. Thomas Asprey, for the visitors, collected a two minute slashing penalty with less than two minutes left of the game. The Bees took control with the extra skater and held out for the win at The Hive.
Man of the match awards went to Bees forward Alex Barker for the home side and to Michael Whillock, guesting from the Oxford City Stars, for the visiting Manchester Phoenix.
Match report by Yvonne Slater
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