Lee Valley Lions -v- Solent Sharks
10/09/05 (Lose 5-8)

Stefan Nubert (G)
Owen Murphy
Billy Whitney
Daniel Sampson
Rich Gomes
Ian Courtney
Graham Bellamy
Scott Beeson
Kevin Murphy
Terry Abdullah
Nick Braithwaite
Richard Hodge
Mark Swaine
Chris Goddard
Jack Coyston
Paul O'Neill
Ben Osborne
Darren Wakeling (C)
George Alley (G)
James Scott-Joseph
Tom Davis

Additional Comments:

Localised flooding delayed those trying to get to the Lee Valley Ice Centre, not least the visiting team. Sharks players were still arriving 15 minutes before face-off which cost them their opportunity to warm up.

Anyone thinking this would give the Lions an advantage was soon proven wrong as the Sharks' Kent Johnson scored the first goal of the match at 06:53. This was soon followed by a shot from Alex Murray at 10:33. The Lions moved out of first gear at this point, team captain Darren Wakeling shooting a winner at 11:37 and Kevin Murphy evening the scoreline at 2-2 only 20 seconds later. Kent Johnson took revenge with his 2nd goal of the match at 16:24. The Solent Sharks were ahead of the Lions 3-2 when the buzzer signalled the end of the first period.

The next period saw the Sharks hit another two into the back of the net before the Lions could reply with a second goal from Kevin Murphy. Richard Hodge scored unassisted at 36:02 but the Lions were still left trailing, thanks to two power play goals from the Sharks' Greg Wyatt.

Both teams changed netminder for the final period of the game, George Alley replacing Stefan Nubert for the Lions (the chap in the bar got his wish answered). Sharks' replacement netminder, Richard Wilson, allowed Lions' Kevin Murphy to score his hat-trick at 40:26, while Alley had a successful 20 minutes, facing 14 shots and letting in only one power play goal from Sharks' Richard Clarke at 48:09.

The game was predicted to be rough but it was the Lions who received a total of 18 penalty minutes compared to just 8 for the Sharks. These cost the Lions dearly as the Sharks scored no less than 4 power play goals.

Lions' captain Darren Wakeling said, "We have a strong squad who can skate,  pass and can play the game. We're not out there to be the league's whipping boys. We want to prove people wrong and we will do that." He added, "The tream spirit is fantastic and the vital confidence-boosting win is only round the corner."

Referee was Szucs, Linesman was Dodsworth (NB 2 officials only, both wore red armbands).