Raiders rebound with four-point weekend

ROMFORD, UK – Romford Raiders responded to last weekend’s Essex derby defeat in Chelmsford – their first loss of the season following a 14-game win-streak – by dispatching the Slough Jets and Wightlink Raiders in a four-point weekend of ENL action. Raiders travelled to the Hangar in Slough on Saturday for their first game since last Sunday’s defeat at the Chieftains’ Riverside rink. Despite a lengthy list of absentees including JJ McGrath, Andrius Kaminskas, Shawn Wallis and the long-term injured Frankie Harvey, Raiders were able to stave off a late Jets fightback to earn a 7-6 win and an important two points over a side they‘d have expected nothing less against. Juraj Huska’s hat-trick proved decisive as Raiders opened up a commanding 6-2 lead midway through the second period before a pair of late Jets goals cut Romford’s lead to 6-4 with 20 minutes to play. Huska’s third of the night, a powerplay tally set-up by Danny Marshall and AJ Smith, gave Raiders a crucial three-goal cushion that proved just too much for Slough to overcome in the third period. Sunday saw Raiders welcome Jeremy Cornish and his Wightlink Raiders side to Rom Valley Way for the third meeting of the season between the two ‘Raiders’ squads. As with Saturday’s game in Slough, Romford were without McGrath, Kaminskas and Wallis for what would ultimately prove to be a big character check for the home side. Wight started the brighter of the two teams as they looked to impose themselves physically against a side missing much of it’s muscle in McGrath, Kaminskas and Wallis. Romford fought off the early Wight pressure but could do little to prevent Cornish opening the scoring on a breakaway after AJ Smith had fired agonisingly wide at the other end. Romford responded almost immediately, though, the excellent Grant Taylor beating Wight’s Liam McAllister from a tight angle with a shot that the goaltender will perhaps feel he should have dealt better with. After a largely uneventful first period by accustomed standards, it came as little surprise to see things ramped up considerably after the interval. Michael Gray, atoning for his own error, stopped Wight’s Canadian forward Joe Rand on a penalty shot, before AJ Smith fired Romford in front first-time following Tom Davis’ clean face-off win to the right of McAllister’s goal. Most contentious of all though was Wight’s second goal, awarded to Richard Facey by official Rene Ross (who was standing by the blueline) despite the puck clearly having not crossed the line after squirming under Gray’s body and against the far post. Gray and the rest of the Raiders side were understandably incensed. Romford didn’t dwell on their misfortune though, Juraj Huska taking the game by the scruff of the neck with a pair of magnificent individual goals to haul the Raiders ahead 4-2 either side of the second intermission. Huska circled the net and banked in his own rebound before cutting a path through McAllister’s crease and shelfing a backhand from the edge of the paint to hand the Raiders some much-needed breathing space. Dan Pye’s shot from the blueline bought Wight to within one just as Max Falzon was exiting the box as part of Julian Smith’s 2+10 penalty for a check to the head, though Billy Phillips quickly alleviated any lingering comeback concerns with a sharp backdoor finish from Huska’s precise cross-ice pass. Tom Davis put the gloss on a 6-3 win with a late powerplay marker, just his second goal of the season. Gray and Arran Strawson took home the MOM beers for the respective sides, though special mention must go to the excellent Phillips for perhaps his best game in Gold & Blue. Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com