U-10s win a see-saw thriller...

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Manchester Phoenix U-10s 5 - 4 Solihull Saints

A growing crowd of supporters cheered Manchester Phoenix U-10s all the way to a fantastic 5 - 4 victory over the Solihull Saints at Altrincham on Saturday.

It was the visitors who started the better taking less than sixty seconds to open their account and temporarily silence the home support in the Altrincham Ice Dome. The Phoenix youngsters didn’t panic and were soon pressing the Saints back around their own as shots came in from Leon Shaw and leading scorer Sophie Reeks. With newcomers Jordain Baines and Anders Bosman settling well and showing good promise, it wasn’t long before the equalising goal came as TJ Wainwright laid on the pass and Jordain Baines finished superbly. However before the hooter to signal the first interval, Solihull got their noses in front again despite some excellent work between the pipes from Phoenix netminder Max Howard.

The second period saw some fast and furious play, with several Solihull attacks held at bay by some dogged defending from Connor Howard, Sam Penner, Billy Brewer and Leonard Amador. The second equaliser came fittingly from Phoenix MVP Ethan Cassidy in the 27th minute, squeezing a shot past the Saints goalie, but once again, it was the visitors who went ahead as Jake Price bagged his second of the game. Phoenix dug deep, determined not to let Solihull get away from them and Josh Hartson pulled them level again at 3-3. Disappointingly though, for the fourth time in a see-saw game, it was Solihull who took the lead shortly before the end of the session.

The home crowd now began to play their part, roaring the Phoenix on and the team responded, raising their game and dominating the possession as they sought a fourth game-tying goal. Into the final eight minutes and with the tension growing, a superb pass from Jordan Clare gave TJ Wainwright the chance and he made no mistake for 4-4. Having fought back four times, Phoenix were determined not to fail and less than minute later, Joe Murphy fed Michael Sergienko and he blasted them ahead for the first time in the game. And it proved the telling goal as despite late Saints pressure, the Phoenix held firm to claim an exciting and well-deserved victory.

A Phoenix spokeslady remarked, “The kids were terrific, they never gave up in a game that swung one way, then the other. The excitement was nail-biting and everyone who saw the game thoroughly enjoyed it, even the Solihull parents and supporters.”