ROMFORD, UK – Romford Raiders defeated the Isle of Wight 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to claim their first league title in 15 years.
Danny Marshall’s third-period strike stood up as the game-winner, with Raiders edging out the idle Chelmsford Chieftains on the final day of English National League South Division One action.
Saturday’s 11-2 win over the Slough ENL Jets, cut short due to an injury sustained by Jets goaltender Ryan Bainborough, set the scene for a thrilling Sunday climax against Jeremy Cornish’s defending-champion Isle of Wight side at Rom Valley Way.
Photo by – John Scott
AJ Smith, Matt Turner, Grant Taylor, Juraj Huska, Andrius Kaminskas, Julian Smith, and Anthony Leone all tallied for Raiders as the visitors fired 60 shots at Bainborough during the shortened 40-minute game at the Hangar on Saturday.
Sunday’s game was always going to prove a far tougher proposition for Raiders against a Wight side hitting form at the right time heading into next weekend’s playoffs.
First-period goals from Huska and Shaun Yardley capped a strong 20 minutes by the home side as they deservedly moved out to a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.
Huska fired into a wide-open net after Wight goaltender Liam McAllister had denied Marshall’s initial effort from the left side. And Yardley doubled the lead with seconds remaining in the period, beating McAllister glove-side with a perfect wrister that found the angle between post and crossbar as Marshall drove hard to the net in front. Neither side were able to create much on lone powerplay attempts.
Raiders mustered just three shots on McAllister’s goal during the second period as Alex Murray’s point shot got the visitors on the scoreboard during a tense middle session.
Murray fired a shot from the left circle past Raiders goaltender Michael Gray, before the home side did well to kill off a prolonged 5-on-3 powerplay owing to a pair of quickfire minor penalties. Dominic Hopkins struck Gray’s right-hand post with a rising shot from the point during a further powerplay, though Raiders did well to deny Wight any further chances before the break.
The third period began in much the same fashion as the first, with Raiders moving the puck well and creating chances off the rush. Fittingly, it would be Marshall’s goal, Raiders third of the game, that would ultimately seal the league title for the home side. Marshall’s slap shot from the right side beat McAllister inside the far post, minutes before Billy Phillips converted on the powerplay with another fine blast through bodies.
Much of Wight’s initial bluster seemed to disappear at this point, and, despite Grant Rounding’s rebound briefly pulling the visitors to within two at the tail-end of a Huska minor, the Slovak’s rocket from the blueline soon flew by McAllister to make it 5-2.
Raiders played out the final few minutes without alarm to seal their first league title since 1997. Having added league silverware to the South East Trophy won earlier this season, Raiders will now seek a league, cup, and playoff treble as they open their post-season campaign against the Milton Keynes Thunder this weekend.
Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com
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