Raiders shoot down Jets

ROMFORD, UK – JJ Pitchley’s first senior tally in gold and blue helped the Romford Raiders grind out a 6-2 win over lively ENL1 newcomers Slough Jets on Sunday. Pitchley, son of former Raiders defenceman Ben, returned to Rom Valley Way this season after leaving the club for Bracknell two years ago. His goal, coming midway through the third period with the score on a knife-edge at 3-2, gave Raiders the breathing space they needed to see off a hardworking Jets side. The visitors had started brightly and were very much in the game through two periods despite a lopsided shot count. Aaron Connolly and Andy Melachrino were particularly lively as the Jets transition game troubled Raiders defence early on. Ryan Bainborough was tremendous in the Jets goal, but could do little to prevent Anthony Leone’s shot from behind the goal-line banking in off of his skate. Callum Best tied the game with a powerplay goal from the left circle, before Juraj Huska restored Raiders lead with a shot that seemed to go through the goal netting. Huska and Best again traded goals in the second period, Best beating Michael Gray on a breakaway after a deke to the backhand. Though Bainborough stole the show with a host of fine saves at the other end, it was perhaps Gray’s glove save on Melachrino late in the period that would prove most crucial of all to Raiders as it kept their 3-2 lead intact at the interval. With the home side continuing to pour forward and Jets defence struggling to contain their movement, Matt Turner drove to the side of Barnborough’s net and backhanded a pass in front to the wide open Pitchley. Pitchley, filling in for Frankie Harvey on the second line, roofed the puck home to finally put an end to Slough’s dogged resistance. Turner would soon turn scorer, sniping a wrist shot in off the crossbar from the left circle, before Juraj Huska pounced on his own rebound to cap the Slovak’s first hat-trick of the season. Jets may rightly feel slightly aggrieved at a 6-2 scoreline as they were very much a factor through fourty minutes. In the third period, however, they simply ran out of gas.   Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com