Category: Matches

The Lions put in one of their best, and certainly their most determined, display of the season, breaking their three game scoreless streak, before going down 8-4 to Bristol.
In the game played at Basingstoke due to the closure of the Bristol rink, the Lions arrived without seven players so acting coach Ian Prince had to improvise. Captain James Hatfull played at left wing alongside Scott Beeson and Michael Crosse, with the other forward line linking Adam Peach, Phil Carson and Callum Heath. The defence was made up of James Joseph, Jack Ball, James Gosling, Alan Go and young Jarvis Mewitt. Aaron Mallet was in goal and was once again kept busy in a first period which saw Bristol score four goals, and it may have been more if not for some good stops from the Lee Valley number 1.
But despite the lack of numbers and the four goal deficit, the Lions fought back well in the second period hitting the post and going inches wide on several occasions before Peach found Heath to slot in the first from the right of the crease at 29.58. Bristol struck back right away to make it 5-1 before Peach netted himself with a shot on 38 minutes. Crosse, Beeson and Carson all went close before the teams skated off with the score 5-2.
The Lions continued the fight back in the third with Crosse and Beeson combining nicely to create a number of chances including a shot from Joseph that went just over the bar and several scrambles around the Bristol net. Then Beeson connected with a Gosling pass to score at 48.05 when skating in from the right.
The Lions were unlucky to concede a goal on a bad deflection but Beeson scored again at 53.09 after good work from Carson and Bristol were unable to take victory for granted until the very last minutes.
Outshot 64/29 the short staffed Lions were bound to tire and Bristol added two late goals to make it an 8-4 score line which doesn’t do justice to the Lions’ spirit and determination.
Aaron Mallet took the man of the match and for the players that made the game, some very encouraging signs to take into the weekend double header with Swindon and Chelmsford.

A tight first two periods showed promise but, failure to convert chances, and slick finishing from the visitors first line left Lee Valley on the receiving end of another loss to Wightlink Tigers.

The first period was a relatively quiet affair with the Lions having the best chance. Chris Fox roofing the puck after good work behind the net by himself, and Theo Abban. However, referee Blaine Evans ruled the goal out for a player being in the crease. Other than that, most of the period was played at neutral ice with neither team managing to create any clear cut chances. Leaving it 0-0 going into the break.

The second was equally slow to start with. Lee Valley not making the most of an early power play chance and not being able to follow up on the rebounds given up by young Tigers’ netminder, Aaron Craft. It was half way through the period when Lewis Tribble joined a breakaway to finish a neat pass from Andrew Robinson, giving the men from the Island the lead. Second assist going to Andrew Campbell. Aaron Mallet was called into action several times but no more chances materialised, ending the session 1-0 to Wightlink.

After a tedious wait to get water cleared from the café end, the third period finally started. Five minutes in and the Tigers were in for their second as Robinson took the pass from Tribble, with a second assist, again going to the former Basingstoke and Gosport import, Campbell. As the period wore on, the Tigers started making better chances with Campbell getting on the score sheet after a sloppy turnover, led to a 3-on-1. Assists going to Robinson and Tribble. Wightlink then hit both posts in quick succession as Lee Valley failed to clear their zone, pressure told for the last time as Campbell again scored from his line mates, Tribble and Robinson to close the game out. The final score ending 4-0.

Final Score Lee Valley 0-4 Wightlink
Period Scores: 0-0/0-1/0-3
Shots on Goal: 51 on Mallet (LV), 30 on Craft (WT) (18/10-18/14-25/4)Penalties in Minutes: LV4-16 WT
Top Points scorers: Andrew Campbell (2+2), Andrew Robinson and Lewis Tribble (1+3)
Man of the Match:  #1 Aaron Mallet (LV) and #1 Aaron Craft (WT)

For the second game in a row, the Lions went down by a single goal, once again showing much improvement from early season form and at times playing some of the best hockey seen at the Ice Centre all season.

The Pitbulls came to Lee Valley looking for their fifth win on the trot and after a long scoreless spell, took the lead at 12.25. It was the only goal of the first period which saw the visitors take 17 shots to 11 from the Lions.

The second period opened with a fantastic stick save from Aaron Mallet before an equaliser from the Lions. Alan Go played the puck out to Harry Bishop who shot in from the left at 23.12. Scott Beeson put in the Lions ahead (asst. Richard Hodge and Joe Berry) just over a minute later but a 2+2 penalty on captain James Hatfull saw the Pitbulls level, and go ahead, with two goals 1.19 apart.

Josh Irish came close to levelling, before Chris Fox knocked in number three assisted by Michael Crosse. Berry (asst. Hodge and James Gosling) restored the lead, but it lasted only sixteen seconds before Bristol pulled a goal back at 35.22, and netted again to go in 5-4 up after two periods.

Berry forced a good save to start the third period, but a turnover allowed a Bristol breakout which they finished well to open up a two goal lead at 45.35.

But a Beeson breakaway, assisted by Hodge, short-handed, set up a big finish. Fox and Hodge both went close, but the Lions once again went down by the single goal to one of the form sides in the division.