LONDON, UK – There were four in the bed and a little voice said ‘Roll over, roll over’ so two teams rolled over and both fell out… ending the 2016/17 season in disappointing fashion.
Johnston hangs them up (Rick Webb)
Ok so the rhyme doesn’t quite go like that but you get the jist. Both NIHL South Play-Off semi-finals ended as blow outs with Chelmsford and Invicta proving too strong for London and Streatham respectively.
In two match ups that promised much, in the end the league table positions were an uncanny predictor for the final outcomes.
Before either semi-final took place, Pro Hockey News indulged in a bit of April Fools tomfoolery, so we now apologise to all readers who believed that an Olympic sized ice rink and NIHL team were to be put on the Channel island of Jersey. It just goes to show how many skim readers we have clicking our links as no one thought to question a hockey club housing referee Blaine Evans!. This is only marginally better than our playing readership who tend to just check if there are any pictures of themselves before clicking back on to the Hockey Forum to check for mentions there.
Photo by Ian Snoding
NIHL South Play-Off semi-final 1
London Raiders v Chelmsford Chieftains
The Raiders fans knew their team had to get a decent result at Lee Valley Ice Centre in the home leg if they realistically wanted to have any chance of advancing to the final. The Chieftains had won 18 straight games prior to the series starting but the Raiders quietly fancied their chances after beating Oxford in the quarter final.
With thirteen minutes on the clock Juraj Huska scored past his old team and the Chieftains didn’t look back. A 5-1 scoreline left little hope of an upset in the second leg as Huska completed his hat trick to add to lone goals from Carl Graham and Grant Bartlett.
Slavomir Buda scored the only goal for the Raiders who travelled to the Riverside the following day knowing they would need to snap the Chieftains now 19 game winning streak and by a fair margin.
Despite a Raiders comeback being as likely as Lee Valley Ice Centre scrapping their shambolic car parking charging scheme, the committed London fans crammed in the away end in gold and blue to support their team. Like a number of fanbases before them in recent seasons, they were then forced to watch their team take a bit of a pasting.
The Chieftains made it 20 wins in a row with an emphatic 11-3 win over their rivals in a game they led 5-1 at the first period break. Four goal hero Grant Bartlett led the scoring and Danny Hammond scored two to add to goals from Brandon Ayliffe, Carl Graham, Matt Turner and Cameron Bartlett. For the Raiders Marek Nahlik scored two with Sam Roberts also on target.
The season now ends for London who put together a very strong roster this year given their temporary dwelling at Lee Valley and one suspects they will soon become a major force in the league as they prepare to return home to Romford.
Final aggregate score: Chelmsford Chieftains 16 London Raiders 4
Streatham IHC v Invicta Dynamos
After being dumped out of the semi-finals of the cup just a few weeks earlier by the Dynamos, the RedHawks looked to get revenge in the Play-Offs.
The first leg in Streatham was likely to be a close affair and so it proved as Dan Rose equalised late on to end a pulsating 3-3 game in South London. George Norcliffe and Ryan Webb were also on target for the RedHawks in front of a decent crowd at the Streatham Arena. Scott Bailey, Callum Fowler and Ashley Jackson got the goals for Invicta. The 482 days media team spent much of the game giving out their branded pin badges to the crowd, one of which was allegedly used by a hooligan to threaten the staff at Morley’s Chicken shop across the road from the rink for a free box of wings. You wouldn’t give a Jack Russell a lit firework so why give out sharp objects? Answers on a postcard.
In the second leg the first period was a tight affair at 0-0 but the Dynamos went nuclear in the second and went 6-1 ahead. The third was damage limitation for Streatham but they ended up getting beat 10-1 with a performance to forget. The rejuvenated Callum Fowler and Adam Rehak scored a hat trick each, Ashley Jackson scored two and there were lone goals for Scott Bailey and the impressive Ondrej Zosiak.
The lone scorer for Streatham was Jack Tarczycki against his old club. The only other bright note for Streatham was the appearance of teenage goalie Brett Shepherd between the pipes for his first ever senior appearance.
All in all an impressive display by the Dynamos who now face Chelmsford in the final next weekend. For Streatham fans they said farewell to two of the most dedicated servants they have ever seen as Joe Johnston and Liam Rasmussen skated off to a guard of honour from both sets of players. It was a poignant moment in front of the travelling Streatham support.
Final aggregate score: Invicta Dynamos 13 Streatham IHC 4
So after eight teams started the Play-Offs only two remain… the top two. Invicta v Chelmsford takes place next weekend. Dates and times to be confirmed.
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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