Phoenix ENL cruise past tired Redwings
Manchester Phoenix ENL 14 - 1 Grimsby Redwings
If Phoenix wished to continue to challenge for the league championship, Saturdays' game against Grimsby was a must-win game. And from the start, the home side dominated the visitors before finally cruising to a comprehensive victory.
Grimsby arrived in Altrincham missing several of their senior players and consequently were short on numbers and experience. From the first drop of the puck, Manchester camped in the Redwings half of the ice and the result appeared settled before the end of the first period. Only a sterling performance by Mike Sleeth in the Redwings net had limited the score, however the effort of the short bench told late in the game when Phoenix scored seven goals in the final ten minutes.
The game began as it was to continue, Sleeth, under pressure, with Grimsby being heavily out-shot three to one. The opener arrived in the fifth minute, Jamie Rogerson, assists to Tom King and James Wood, scoring at close range. Sean Day, assisted by Jake Nurse and Ashton Jennion, scored the first of his hat-trick ninety seconds later and by the 13th minute, when John Murray netted past a beleaguered Sleeth, Grimsby seemed to be a strangely spent force.
The game rolled into the second period in the same manner as the first had been played; territorial domination was converted, at regular intervals, into goals. Markers came from John Murray (23rd minute), Jake Nurse (27th), Sean Day (31st) and Pete Traynor (36th). The only downside for the home side was netminder Benn Schofield losing his possible shut-out when a lapse in defensive concentration, whilst short-handed, allowed Jason Haigh to nip in and score with assists to Ryan Drinkell and Andrew Jenkins in the 37th minute.
The second break allowed Grimsby to re-group and they held the Phoenix until mid-way through the final period. Then the flood-gates opened as Grimsby's short bench and tired legs were exploited. Phoenix Man of the Match, Phil Hamer, owned the period as he began his four-goal haul in the 50th minute assisted by Ashton Jennion. Sean Day completed his treble less than a minute later before Hamer bagged two more for his treble. Tom King scored the Phoenix 12th goal with less than three minutes to play leaving Hamer and Traynor, with his second of the game on a powerplay to complete the rout.
A Phoenix official expressed surprise that Grimsby had appeared out of sorts compared with the previous games between the teams. "Because we'll be missing the U-18s for tomorrow's game against Solihull, it gave an opportunity to try out a number of combinations. They appeared to work pretty well. It was gratifying to notice that all but four goals were credited with double assists. It shows our passing game is working well. No-one likes to see such one-sided score-lines, but, for our part, it means that the lads put the effort in until the end of the game. Overall, our fitness was a significant factor."
Man of the match for Phoenix: Phil Hamer
Period Scores: 3-0, 4-1, 7-0
Shots on Goal - Shots on Phoenix first: 16-61
Phoenix Stats:
Phil Hamer 4+1, John Murray 2+4, Jake Nurse 1+4, Sean Day 3+2, Tom King 1+3, Pete Traynor 2+0, James Wood 0+2, Jamie Rogerson 1+1, Ashton Jenion 0+2, Ben Brown 0+1, Robyn Crebbin 0+1, Brian Worrall 0+1.
Nets: Benn Schofield 16/ 1 (93.75%)
Phil Hamer scored 4 goals in the 3rd period, earning him the Phoenix MOM award.
(Image: Richard Murray)
