Newcastle Vipers 0 - 6 Phoenix U-16A

The Manchester Phoenix U-16A squad returned to the North East for the second week in succession to wrap up their league campaign against Newcastle at the Metro Radio Arena. Phoenix welcomed back Oli Bayne into the attack with Jack Sweet dropping back into defence and Alfie Olinski still out with a broken arm.

Phoenix went straight on the offensive with concerted pressure around the Newcastle net for two straight shifts. Their reward was equally rapid. Oli Bayne, parked in front of the Vipers' pipes, redirected a Ryan Pike slapshot beyond Newcastle goalie Mark Watson to put Phoenix ahead. Despite occasional forays up the ice by the home side it was Phoenix who enjoyed the lion's share of possession. Just after the six minute mark the pressure paid off again as a pass out from behind the Newcastle net by Marc Etherington took a bizarre deflection off a defender's skate to creep past Watson and notch up the visitors' second. A spate of penalties in the closing minutes of the first period hit both sides. A Charging call against Alex Pugh put the Vipers on the powerplay at 12'36" but they surrendered half their advantage as Alex Lawson was called for Interference a minute later. Even as the official reported the infringement, Vipers' captain, Thomas Etherington, and Manchester's Ben Brown were both adjudged coincidental Roughing minors, and the period ended with both teams short handed, but Phoenix firmly in charge.

The middle spell became increasingly tetchy as Newcastle's lack of possession began to frustrate them. Coupled with some highly imaginative refereeing, it was always going to be the better-disciplined team that would hold sway. Manchester netminder Bob Browne pulled off an important save at twenty minutes as his defenders worked hard killing a penalty against Josh Healey. Newcastle were not as fortunate defending a man disadvantage as with Dan Bambling next in the penalty box as Pike was hooked while heading for goal. Manchester's Jordan Bannon and Vipers' Anthony Charters traded two-minute minors before Phoenix struck again, still on the powerplay. A rasping shot from Pike struck the goalie's pads and Harry Sims made sure with the rebound. Lawson was next to be banished to the Newcastle penalty box at 28'19". In mid-powerplay, Etherington set off on an impressive skate out of the Phoenix zone down the right wing with a clinical pass finding Oli Bayne in front of the net, who converted his second of the afternoon. More penalties were handed out on the stroke of the second break as Vipers' Ben Quigley and Phoenix' Alex Pugh shared Roughing minors, but Pugh came off worse with an additional ten-minute Misconduct call.

Into the third period and the game became even chippier. Manchester's Brown and Vipers' Charters were called for Slashing and Elbows respectively to set up another two minutes of four-on-four. By this time Manchester were in firm control of the fixture and the team used the big Newcastle ice pad to spread the puck wide. Newcastle, meanwhile, were beginning to implode with a string of infringements. A Clipping call against Vipers' Bambling set up another powerplay chance and Conner Dakin, who had narrowly missed out on a wraparound effort moments before, made no mistake this time, converting Manchester's fifth from Etherington's feed as the ref's arm went up to signal a delayed penalty call against Quigley who was ejected from the game for Kicking. Phoenix wrapped the match up sixteen seconds later as Jack Sweet found Tom Hammond to put away the sixth at 40'57".

Phoenix Stats: Oli Bayne 2+0; Marc Etherington 1+3; Conner Dakin 1+0; Harry Sims 1+0; Tom Hammond 1+0, Ryan Pike 0+2; Jack Sweet 0+1.

Netminder; Bob Browne 0/8

Phoenix MVP - Bob Browne