Phoenix Under-18s within touching distance

Sunday, 20th January 2008

Phoenix U-18s 15 – 3 Grimsby Blackhawks

Another comprehensive victory for the Manchester Phoenix Under-18 squad on Sunday evening, in their final home game of the season, sees them requiring just one more point from their remaining three away games to secure the Northern Division 2 championship title.

The Blackhawks arrived at the Silver Blades Ice Dome as the sacrificial lambs but they stunned the Phoenix with the opening goal in the second minute, Alex Raithby the scorer. However, the early setback for the Phoenix was quickly erased as they took just 24 seconds to equalise through Rick Ravey and the tone of the game was quickly set as the Phoenix proceeded to lay siege to the Grimsby goal. The go-ahead marker didn’t arrive till shortly before the midway point of the period, Danny Bullock firing Phoenix in front. Having edged ahead, Phoenix took a firm grip with their third and fourth goals, Shaun Dippnall scoring unassisted and Bullock adding his second in the 14th minute.

Phoenix continued their assault on the Grimsby goal in the second period with a superb solo goal of mesmerising stick-handling skills from Phil Hamer coming in the first minute. The Blackhawks reduced the arrears on a 23rd minute powerplay, Dan Maver scoring before Michael Townsend and John Murray, with the first of his personal hat-trick gave Phoenix a 7-2 lead by the half-hour mark. Goals continued to flow and by the end of the session, Dippnall, Murray, Ryan Pike and Alfie Olinski had all netted for Phoenix with another Grimsby marker from Rhys Chambers.

With the game well and truly won and the crowd of around 200, including most of the Phoenix Elite League squad, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, it was just a matter of how many more goals the champions elect could manage against a Grimsby side looking severely shell-shocked. John Murray completed his hat-trick and Rick Ravey added his second, both in short-handed fashion before Hamer added his second unassisted goal of the game in the 48th minute. The final goal of the game fittingly went to Phoenix captain Tom Hammond in the final two minutes.

Phoenix Stats:

John Murray 3+2, Phil Hamer 2+2, Rick Ravey 2+1, Shaun Dippnall 2+1, Daniel Bullock 2+0, Ryan Pike 1+2, Tom Hammond 1+2, Michael Townsend 1+0, Alfie Olinski 1+0, Elliot Bayne 0+2, Joe Greaves 0+1.

Netminder: Adam Summerfield 18/3

Phoenix MVP – Michael Townsend.

Phoenix now just need one more point from their remaining three away games against Sheffield, Billingham and Solihull respectively to clinch the title and promotion to the A-League for next season and a Phoenix Junior Club spokesperson commented, “The lads have been magnificent all season and the togetherness in the team is to be commended. We started the season with just eleven players and the additional guys we’ve picked up have settled in marvellously. Nobody gave the team much of a chance at the start of the season and we’ve proved a lot of people wrong. The aim now is to not only gain the one point we need for the title and promotion, but to also win all three games and post a 100% winning record – it’s a tough ask, but it would be a magnificent effort by everyone concerned and we’ll be going for it.”

Phoenix Under-18s within touching distance

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