Additional Comments:

Following the previous night’s emphatic victory against a hapless Slough side, Lee Valley were always going to struggle against top-placed Chelmsford, a team who had lost only one game so far all season. It didn’t help that the Lions were forced to start minus Stas Prokofiev and Nathan Higgins, whose car trouble was delaying their arrival at the Riverside rink.

It took just 01:23 for the Chieftains to put their mark on the scoresheet. It appeared to Andrew Boot and many spectators that the puck had been stopped and the goal light did not light up. Nevertheless, the goal was given and Chelmsford were already 1-0 up.

Five minutes in and Boot faced three close-range shots in rapid succession and although he saved deflected all three, Chelmsford went on to score their second with a well-executed pass across the goalmouth from Lee Brears to Jaroslav Pavlus, who slotted the puck into the net.

Michael Ranby had been on top form in the previous night’s game and here he opened proceedings for the Lions, scoring unassisted at 08:13. Lee Valley then found themselves at a 3-on-5 disadvantage but coped with being short-handed remarkably well, good play being demonstrated by James Hatfull in particular. There were some tidy passes in front of the Chieftains’ net but the resulting shots just didn’t cut it and down at the other end Andrew Boot made some excellent saves before succumbing to James Ayling as his shot flew into the goal, assisted by Thomas Foskett and Sean Martin.

Boot then was fortunate to put a glove over the puck as it was just millimetres from crossing the line before a bloody battle ignited between Chelmsford’s Nathanael Williams and the Lions’ young Terry Howlet. Despite Howlet mostly being on the receiving end, both players sat out 2+2 mins for roughing.

The Lions were bolstered at the start of the second period by the arrival of Stas Prokofiev and Nathan Higgins, though their presence did nothing to prevent Chelmsford finding the net again at 21:52. The scorer was Sean Easton, assisted by Danny Hammond and Jaroslav Pavlus. Their fifth goal went in soon after, a straight flip scored by Nathanael Williams and assisted by Kane Bartlett.

For the Lions, Nick Alley made some good attempts before one shot rebounded strongly, allowing Gennadi Yufit to take the puck and smack it in on the powerplay at 28:17. Chelmsford followed with their sixth at 30:55, this time a result of a slapshot in front of the goal from Danny Hammond, assisted by Rudolf Dzurko. A seventh goal came as the Chieftains were short-handed at 37:42, James Ayling taking the puck from one end of the ice to the other, bypassing all Lee Valley’s defenders and putting it past an incredulous Andrew Boot. Still short-handed, Boot was put to the test as the Chieftains secured a breakaway but he thwarted the attack with commendable skill.

Lee Valley changed netminders at the start of the final period, resting Boot in favour of Rob Jones. The change did not alter the Lions’ fortune as another clean slapshot pounded into Jones’ net at 44:57, scored by Hammond once more, assisted by Sean Easton and Karl Hopper. Before the ink had dried on the scoresheet Chelmsford had put another goal past Jones at 45:27: Hammond had struck again, assisted by Jaroslav Pavlus and Sean Easton. Further damage came when the tenth goal went straight through Rob Jones’ legs at 48:56, followed swiftly by goal number 11 at 49:09.

Andrew Boot then found himself back between the pipes and there was some minor relief for the Lions as Joe Berry scored their third goal at 54:32, assists going to Michael Ranby and Rob Courtman. Chelmsford wrapped up their scoring at 53:55 with a goal that came almost straight off the face-off, scored by Jaroslav Pavlus and assisted by Lee Brears.

Lee Valley’s Nick Alley then found himself with a breakaway opportunity and made the most of it, taking the puck up the ice and fooling Ben Clements in the Chelmsford net to score the final goal of the game at 57:28, an assist going to Gennadi Yufit.

Referee was Dodsworth, Linesmen were Harris and Stephenson.