U-18s Triumph over Trojans

Tuesday, 10th February 2009

Manchester Phoenix U-18s 4 - 3 Telford Trojans

A strong first period showing was the key to victory as the Phoenix U-18s' played out their final home league fixture of the season.

After just seventy seconds, Telford found themselves a man short with Bryn Roberts sitting two minutes for Interference and the home side took full advantage, working the puck around the visitors' net and pulling the keeper out of position to allow Oli Bayne to draw first blood, assisted by Max Drakeley and Ben Brown. Three minutes later Manchester doubled their lead as Alfie Olinski confidently netted from a Jordan Bannon feed. Phoenix looked the more comfortable of the two sides and enjoyed the lion's share of possession, but were always vulnerable to swift Trojan counter attacks. In the seventh minute Ashton Jenion was called for Interference. With the powerplay advantage, but against the run of play, Telford's Luke Brittle beat Matt Leeming in the Phoenix net to reduce the arrears in the ninth minute. Sixty seconds later and order was restored as a Jordan Bannon strike, assisted Drakeley, put clear daylight back between the sides and 3-1 to the Phoenix at the first break.

The second period was dominated by the home side, the hosts comfortably out-shooting their opponents on a 2:1 ratio. However, they found it hard to make their superiority count, and it was Telford who found the net as Phoenix ran into penalty trouble. First Joe Greaves and then Ashton Jenion each received two-minute minors to give Trojans over a minute of a two-man advantage. Telford's Ed Eaton made Phoenix pay, scoring from Ryan Twardon and reducing Manchester's lead to a single goal. Five minutes later it was Telford who found themselves short handed due to an Unsportsmanlike Conduct call against captain Josh Brown that allowed Phoenix to set up camp in the Telford zone and just before the 35-minute mark, Max Drakeley set up Ashton Jenion to score, re-establishing a two-goal cushion.

The final period began worryingly for Phoenix. Telford's Ryan Twardon struck within a minute to put the visitors again within reach of Manchester's lead and set up what should have been a grandstand finish. Inexplicably though, both sides seemed to lack the urgency to press their respective causes and the pace of the game slowed visibly. A succession of penalties added to the lack of purpose. Phoenix successfully killed a penalty against Jordan Bannon, but couldn't take advantage of two powerplays as the Trojans' Dan Schutte and Callum Taylor sat out Interference and Tripping minors respectively. With the clock running down, Telford ramped up the pressure on the Phoenix net, but were hampered by going a man down in the last three minutes as a 2+10 penalty was handed to Ed Eaton for Checking from Behind. The Trojans called a time out and pulled their netminder in a final push to claim a point, but the Phoenix defence held firm.

Phoenix Stats: Max Drakeley 0+3, Jordan Bannon 1+1, Oli Bayne 1+0, Alfie Olinski 1+0, Ashton Jenion 1+0, Ben Brown 0+1

Matt Leeming 3 / 22

Phoenix MVP - Joe Greaves

U-18s Triumph over Trojans

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