Double weekend defeat for Autocraft Telford Tigers

Autocraft Telford Tigers completed a two game road trip with a journey to Peterborough after a defeat the previous evening to Milton Keynes. With Tigers rock bottom of the table and with only one win all season, a victory was desperately needed.

Tigers were gifted a perfect chance to take the lead in the sixth minute when Joe Gretton was called for interference. Telford opened the scoring on the subsequent power play when Adam Harding sent a pass back towards the blue line where Vladimir Luka smashed a first time slap shot into the net. But the home side soon equalised through a tap in from Austin Mitchell-King who was free at the back post. Shortly after the Phantoms took the lead when Janne Laakkonen’s shot was tipped by Luke Ferrara past Brad Day. Late in the period, Telford equalised with a goal from James Smith who hit a terrific wrist shot into the top corner of the goal.

Early in the second period, the home side were back in front when Ferrara scored his second of the game with a shot from the right circle. Tigers were level again with the help of a power play after the Phantoms were called for too many men. Fin Howells levelled the scores with a powerful shot into the top corner of the goal.

With the game finely poised heading into the third period, Tigers had chances to get in front but the Phantoms took control of the game with two quick goals. Ferrara completed his hat trick with a rising shot that went in off the bar and Laakkonen scored Peterborough’s fifth goal to give the visitors a mountain to climb. Ferrara rounded off the scoring late in the game with his fourth of the contest to condemn Tigers to a seventh defeat of the season.

Final Score: Peterborough Phantoms 6 Autocraft Telford Tigers 3.

Scorers: Vladimir Luka, James Smith and Fin Howells.

Man of the match: Vladimir Luka.

After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, “We needed to compete hard tonight and I thought we did that for the most part but ultimately their top line made a difference when it mattered and swung the game in their favour in the third period.

"It was a pretty similar situation to last night where at 3-3 in the second period we must have had four two on ones and a breakaway. It’s those moments that make a difference, create some daylight between us and them going into the third period but we couldn’t capitalise on those situations. 

"I thought the goals we gave up in third period were soft, they were a sign of where our problems currently lie.”