Telford Tigers lose vital game in playoff race
Autocraft Telford Tigers travelled up to Dumfries on Saturday to take on Solway Sharks in a crucial game for the two sides who were battling for the final play off place.
Tigers came into the game in eighth place with Solway one place and three points behind although they did have a game in hand on the Shropshire side. Tigers had been embarrassed in midweek after conceding twelve goals to Peterborough and had gifted Solway an opportunity to reduce the gap.
Tigers made a slow start and like in recent games found themselves behind early in the game. In the fifth minute, Liam Danskin scored with a tap in and Solway dominated much of the opening ten minutes of the first period. Callum Boyd scored a second for the home side as Brad Day was left sprawling on the ice as Boyd skated across the front of goal and shot into the open net.
Tigers finally managed to get some offence going late in the period. Devon Skoleski passed from the side of the goal to Eric Henderson who hit a first time shot into the net.
The second period started much the same as the first one, with Solway having most of the possession and scoring twice. Three minutes into the second period Tigers were guilty of conceding twice in a minute.
Kyle Carruth led a two-on-breakaway and shot in off Day for Solway’s third goal. Thirty seconds later Caly Robertson hit a shot from the right circle over Day’s glove into the top left hand corner of the goal.
Tigers then replicated the hosts scoring with two goals in a minute of their own. They pulled a goal back with eight minutes of the period left to go. David Thomson scored with a low shot from the slot and then scored again when Rhodes Mitchell-King’s shot from distance was saved but Scott McKenzie reacted first to slam home the rebound.
Early in the third period Tigers’ Tom Byrne gave away an ill advised tripping penalty in the Sharks’ defensive zone. The penalty would cost the visitors dear as on the subsequent power Play Kell Beattie scored to increase the Sharks’ lead.
The deficit was wider two minutes later as John Dunbar fired home a shot from the slot that flew past Day.
With nine minutes of the game left Tigers were given hope by a terrific solo goal by Thomson. The Canadian import forward broke in on the Solway goal, shot off the boards and collected his own rebound to score.
But despite some late pressure on the Solway goal, Tigers could not score again and conceded an empty net goal in the dying seconds of the game through Boyd.
Tigers now have only a point lead over Solway as the battle for the play off places continues.
Final Score: Solway Sharks 7 Autocraft Telford Tigers 4.
Scorers: Eric Henderson, David Thomson (2) and Scott McKenzie.
Man of the match: David Thomson.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, "I’ll be keen to watch the game back. We created a number of very good chances and out shot Solway by 13 shots. I think we hit the post or crossbar three or four times but ultimately goals change games and Solway scored at timely moments. They scored on their power play where we failed to capitalise on our opportunities.
"It’s frustrating that we played well enough with what we have available right now to get something from the game. We lost another couple of players during the game and we are currently without over half of our defensive core.
"At this time of the year we need everyone on our roster playing, but we predominantly played with four defenders, two of which are forwards.”
