Jet Blast 01-11-08

The ENIHL Cup has seen us lose 6-8 at home to Solihull Barons, and draw 3-3 away in Solihull with just two lines. Blackburn have lost a cup game 9-0 in Sheffield, drawn 4-4 at home to Flintshire, and won in Flintshire 5-7.

We met the Hawks here two weeks ago, and started brightly with a goal on 2:32 from Matt Jeffcock. Then a Hawks tripping penalty was punished with a Milhench goal a minute later.
This was all too much for one visiting spectator, who after a comical exchange was suddenly sat on his own!

After a powerplay reply from Tim McKay at 6:20, Florence scored his first of the evenings’ brace at 12:45…again with the Hawks having a player in the penalty box.

Ex Jet Chris Arnone seemed to have seen something wrong with the goal, and after an approach to the referee he was given two quick 10 minute misconduct penalties, and left the game.
The game was refereed by Louise Cranstone, and both teams were enormously frustrated by her judgements.

Jets went shorthanded as both Spurgeon & Cobley picked up penalties before the break, but a loss of focus on an attempted clearance by Hawks goalie Thirkettle fed Florence for his second, despite the 5-3 player advantage for the Hawks. Jets led 4-1, and Thirkettle began a long trudge back to his bench to be replaced by Baxendale.

At the end of the period, Hawks’ Bentham seemed unlucky to pick up a 10 minute misconduct penalty, as he fired the puck down the ice at the final whistle of the period.

At 24:01, Hawks’ Davies & Jets’ Dan Sayer had a disagreement, and as both entered the penalty box, Davies offered an obscene gesture. Then, in true Ned Braden style, he began to remove his kit in the penalty box, whilst goading the smiling Sayer. Ladies turned away. Fortunately, the officials spotted the behaviour, and Davies was given a match for the obscene gesture.

A goal on 29:23 from former Jet Carl Slater, was followed by Dunn and Bentham having a disagreement…before Craig Elliott scored at 38:22. End of the second, Jets led 5-2.

Hawks’ captain Michael Brunton added a third goal for the visitors at 50:16.
Then in the final stages, Craig Elliott & Richard Bentham collided on the blue-line, and Elliott stayed down. He’ll be out for 4 weeks with knee ligament damage.
With the penalty count 40 for Jets, and 83 for Hawks, Jets were back to winning ways.

Last weekend, the Jets were in league action in Coventry. We lost at home to them 2-8 recently.
This will have been a very tough test, and with the game clashing with our U-18s game, Ziggy, Hacko & Dunny unavailable, Haggar and Jordan gone, Craig injured…we’ll have had just 11 skaters.
(This report is being written the day before that game!)

Enjoy this evenings’ game, and please join us afterwards in The Whittington & Cat.

Cheers!
Slim-Clint.

Ps…Our next game is away in the cup at Sheffield next Saturday evening, and Sundays’ home cup game is with Flintshire Freeze at 5pm.