BILLINGHAM BOMBERS v WHITLEY WARRIORS 14TH SEPTEMBER 2003

Sunday 14thSeptember 2003 saw the Bombers welcome the players and fans of Whitley Bay to the Forum for the first of this seasons Sunday night home games. The Bombers welcomed back to the fold Bryan Perry and Simon Burns but would be missing Steven V Johnson and Simon Hehir, also on the management side Gerard Crinnion was welcomed back as Bombers manager replacing Jeremey Griffiths who has stood down due to ill health. The Warriors were without Andrew Carter, Kevin Bucas and Darren Taylor. Unfortunately the Forum had failed to repair the game clock during the closed season.

First Period

The game opened with the Warriors finding themselves a man short at 42 seconds as Adrian Huggins took a 2-minute hooking call. However the Bombers power play was short lived as Scott Ward was called for a 2 minute tripping penalty 9 seconds later.
As both teams looked to steady early season nerves the game lost its tempo.
At 6:25 Scott Ward and Ray Haslem both collected 2 min co-incidental minors for unsportsman like conduct.
As both sides looked for the breakthrough the Bombers were first to hit the target a move started by David Thomas set Paul Windridge of on the wing where he squared to Bryan Perry who fired home to give the Bombers the lead at 9:51.

Whitley found themselves on a bad run of penalties as Shaun Kippen was called for a 2 minute Cross check call then 2 minutes later Warriors Rob Wilson was called for a cross check from behind, 2 +10 timed at 13:06, the Bombers had the power play but never settled into it. The Warriors Dale Howey also collected a 2 + 10 for cross check from behind at 14:47. With the Warriors on the back leg and playing three on five the Bombers could not co ordinate their power play and made no gain from the advantage. Bombers found themselves on the wrong end of ref Steve Wardell at 19:14 as Martin Lewis was called for elbows. Warriors Lee Baxter collected a 2 min slashing penalty at the hooter.

The first period closed Billingham Bombers 1 Whitley Warriors 0.

Second Period

The start of the second period was delayed as Whitley insisted on the ice being dry cut as they thought it was too wet. After this delay as the game gathered pace the Bombers found themselves a man short as Phillip Pritchard was called for holding. The resulting power play allowed the Warriors to open their account at 25:34 as Lee Baxter hit home assisted by Andrew Tindale. The Warriors were a man short again at 25:41 as Andrew Robinson sat for a 2 minute holding call. Bombers again had a short-lived power play as Scott Ward picked up a 2 + 2 for elbows and unsportsman like conduct at 25:50. The penalty benches continued to play a key role as Bombers Bryan Perry took a 2 minute sit for tripping, then Warriors Rob Wilson collected a 2 minute high sticks call, then Ian Emmerson a 2 minute holding stick call and then Scott Ward a 2 minute high sticking call all timed between 30:32 and 32:09.The Warriors moved ahead as Paul Graham lifted home a Lee Baxter pass at 35:29.

The end of a scrappy second period saw Warriors Rob Wilson receive a game misconduct and thrown out for his second 10 minute penalty for attempted butt ending.

The second period closed Billingham Bombers 1, Whitley Warriors 2.

Third period

The third opened with the Bombers again on the power play and after only 1min 45 of play in the third Bombers captain Paul Windridge levelled the score assisted by Martin Lewis. Two minutes later the Billingham crowd were again celebrating as Bryan Perry netted an unassisted power play goal to move the Bombers ahead. The penalties continued to clock up as Warriors Dale Howey collected a 2 minute tripping call, he was then joined by Bombers Martin Lewis at 44:53 who picked up a 10 minute misconduct call, joined by Warriors Andy Robinson at 45:12 for a 2 minute high sticks. The game continued in the same vain as Jamie Pattison was called for interference at 47:52. Warriors Dale Howey took an early shower as he was dismissed from the game for a second misconduct penalty at 48:40. As play resumed with the Warriors on the power play Andrew Tindale landed on top of Michael Snook only to see referee Wardell wash the goal out, the puck was in the net but was it before the whistle, after consultation with the goal judge the goal was awarded and the game was level.
The Warriors were now looking for the go ahead goal and it came again from Tindale at 55:09, the Bombers pushed on but could not get into their skating and with the clock at 59:23 they pulled their keeper looking for an out field advantage and to tie the game, the puck was dropped and Whitley won the draw, maintaining possession Andrew Tindale netted his hat trick goal assisted by Lee Baxter as he fired a worthy long shot into the empty Bombers net.

The final Score Billingham Bombers 3, Whitley Warriors 5.