BILLINGHAM EAGLES V ALTRINCHAM ACES
ENHL LEAGUE GAME
3rd February 2001
Saturday 3rd February saw the Eagles welcoming the Altrincham Aces to the Forum for a game rescheduled from earlier in the season
1st Period
The first opened with an early wake up call for the Eagles in the form of an Aces goal scored at 1:13by Alan Gemmell assists from Arron Richardson. Just over 2 minutes later the Eagles response came as D J Flett hit home assisted by Stephen Wallace and Andre Malo.
Eagles went short handed at 4:23 when Brian Perry collected a 2 minute unsportsman conduct penalty, the Eagles played off the penalty without loss, then at 7:59 with the refs hand in the air for a delayed penalty on the Aces Brian Perry shot home assisted by Stephen Wallace and Paul Windridge. Aces again found themselves short handed at 10:33 when Dave Shepherd sat for a 2 min holding penalty.
Eagles moved their game up a gear in the powerplay, Paul Windridge gave a superb display of puck, skate and stick control as he powered up the left wing, switcing the puck from stick to skate to square an inch perfect pass to Brian Perry who finished in style gaining his second of the night to make it Eagles 3, Aces 1. A minute later saw another nice move from the Eagles pay off, maintaining a good line the Eagles forwards raced up the ice and a square pass was lifted first time by Graeme Harrison to complete a superb move with assists from Shaun Buckley and Scott Ward.
With the Eagles leading by three the Aces were not going to lie down and take it,however the Aces game strategy could have been spotted by a visually challenged bat, the Aces bench maintained a player standing off the action on the Eagles blue line even when the Eagles were on the Aces net, the tactic reminiscent of the Warriors style of play in the Scott Morrison days almost paid off on a couple of occasions when the long pass was collected and the player skated into the Eagles zone trying to hold up the play in order to pass to a fast skating team mate.
At 15:44 the Aces started their comeback with a goal from Ged Smith assisted by Jason Hewitt, a minute later Greg Allen reduced the Aces deficit scoring assisted by Arran Richardson and Allen Gemmell, the first closed Eagles 4, Aces 3.
2nd Period
A team talk from player / coach Andre Malo had the desired effect as 58 seconds into the second the Eagles stretched their lead with a goal from Paul Windridge assisted by Andy Fletcher and Richie Thornton. Eagles went short handed at 21:22 when MArtin Lewis was called for a 2 minute tripping penalty, again the Eagles played this off without loss.
Aces again pushed forward and at 25:33 they again cut the Eagles lead when Alan Gemmell hit his second ( unassisted ) for the night. Eagles 5: Aces 4. With a delayed penalty on Aces for hooking Andre Malo and Tim Dempsey squared up, Dempsey collected a 2 + 2 for roughing + 2 for hooking, along with Greg Allen who picked up a 2 min unsportsman like penalty. For the Eagles Andre collected a 2 + 2 for roughing.
At 30:45 an on form Brian Perry hit his hat trick a power play goal with assists from Paul Windridge and Gary Dowd.
The Eagles were back in control when at 36:44 Paul Windridge blasted his second of the night assisted by Andy Fletcher and Brian Perry.
3rd Period
The third opened with the Eagles changing net minder, Wes Fawthrop swapped with team mate Ricky Hall for the last 20 minutes. The third was going to prove goal free, but the entertainment carried on Stephen Wallace again proved impressive with his superb stick and skate handling skills, showing his awareness as with perfect timing he side stepped a crunching hit from Ged Smith. A Gary Dowd collision with the Aces net minder Rick Ashton looked to have ended in a bit of pushing and shoving as the net minder got to his feet, however the intervention of Aces Russell Richardson who entered the frame of events and found himself squaring up to Gary Dowd, when the skirmish was ended both collected 2+2+10 for roughing. The third was a goal free but quick period with the last word left to the referee who called Eagles Simon Hehir and Aces Greg Allen for a 2 minute penalty each at 59:59. Although Eagles had dropped their defences a couple of times and allowed the Aces back into contention the performance was overall a good one with a scoreline of Eagles 7 : Aces 5 play off position ( based on the top 4 going through ) did not yet look secure
Man of the match for the Eagles Brian Perry
PERIOD SCORES
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | FINAL | |
| BILLINGHAM | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| ALTRINCHAM | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
PENALTIES
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL | |
| BILLINGHAM | 2 | 12 | 16 | 30 |
| ALTRINCHAM | 4 | 10 | 16 | 30 |
SHOTS ON GOAL
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL | |
| FAWTHROP | 14 | 10 | - | 24 |
| HALL | - | - | 13 | 13 |
|
ASHTON |
11 | 12 | 9 | 32 |
HOME PLAYER STATS