SUNDERLAND CHIEFS V BILLINGHAM EAGLES
ENHL NORTH GAME
16th September 2001
Sunday the 16th September put the Eagles on the road at the Newcastle arena as the homeless Chief's again are playing their home fixtures in the Toon.
The Eagles were always going to find this game a struggle as an U19 game taking place simultaneously at the other side of the country at Altrincham would drain an already depleted bench. Importless Eagles were again without D men Richardson and Perry.
As coach for both the Eagles and The Wolves ( U-19 ) Andre Malos task was to try and balance both teams without detriment to either.
The Chiefs had seen a number of departures during the closed season.
Game Summary
The Chief's dominated the first period tearing to an unanswered 5 goal lead by the close, three even handed goals and 2 power play goals extracted from 12 minutes of Billingham penalty's must have made them think that this was as good as in the bag.
The Eagles coach Andre Malo needed to lift and refocus a side that had been out played and out shot. In a total turn of fortune the Eagles emerged and started to shower the shots on Sunderlands net minder John Worfill, with the words of Malo still in mind the Eagles out shot the Chief's by 16 to 5.
The tables were turned as the Eagles took control in a power play following the Chief's Alderson collecting a 2 minute tripping call. Eagles captain Andy Fletcher opened the account assisted by Martin Lewis and Andrew Payne.
The Eagles were now showing determination that was converted into four even handed goals in the space of four minutes, the Eagles purple patch commenced with a Martin Lewis goal assisted by Scott Ward followed fifty seconds later by an unassisted effort from Dale Taylor,then 2 minutes later Andy Fletcher got his second of the night assisted by Andrew Payne, under a minute later Eagles captain Andy Fletcher secured his hat trick and brought it all square assisted by Graeme"Oggie" Harrison.
As the third got under way the Eagles got the go ahead goal when Dale Taylor netted his second unassisted goal of the game. Defence now became the Eagles priority with primary task not to concede, as the Eagles tried to bring down the shutters they ran into penalty problems as Oggie was called for a cross check from behind picking up a 2 + 10, Chief's capitalized on the power play with only 2 minutes forty three on the clock as their assistant captain netted the equaliser assisted by Shaun Black and captain Chris Earl.
FINAL SCORE
SUNDERALD CHIEF'S 6 : BILLINGHAM EAGLES 6
PERIOD SCORES
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | FINAL | |
| SUNDERLAND | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| BILLINGHAM | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
PENALTIES
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL | |
| SUNDERLAND | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| BILLINGHAM | 12 | 2 | 14 | 28 |
SHOTS ON GOAL
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL | |
| HALL | 17 | 5 | 7 | 29 |
| FLAVELL | - | - | - | - |
| WORRFILL | 7 | 16 | - | 23 |
|
MCKAY |
- | - | 8 | 8 |
HOME PLAYER STATS