Billingham Bombers v Sheffield Scimitars – Sunday 26 October 2003.

On Sunday 26th October 2003 the Bombers welcomed the players supporters and officials of the Sheffield Scimitars.

The Bombers were playing their second game of the weekend following a victory at Kingston the night before.

That victory had a big downside to it, Stephen V Johnson had to be stretchered off the ice only 12 seconds into the game after a collision with the boards left him in agony.

Stephen was taken to Hospital in Hull and stayed in for tests, these tests revealed a hairline fracture of a vertebrae, we wish Stephen a quick and pain free recovery.

Our visitors tonight the Sheffield Scimitars are the current league champions and from their form this season they have continued to go from strength to strength. They have moved out of the old Queens road Ice rink and are now in a new rink within the town that was partly funded with National lottery assistance.

Sheffield still has the services of ex super league players Les Millie and Neil Abel.

Unfortunately the Bombers were still without Brian Perry and the injured Stephen V Johnson, Robert Dowd was also unavailable.

First Period

The first started with the Bombers on the back foot having to defend some intense pressure from the Scimitars. The Bombers gained a power play at 11:10 when Scimitars Ritchie Oliver was called for a tripping penalty. The Bombers attempts to get the power play set up were thwarted and the Scimitars played it off without loss.

Both teams looked evenly matched in the first but the Bombers were finding it hard to break out and the Scimitars had the better of the zonal play.

Neither team could open their scoring account and an exciting first period closed.

Billingham Bombers 0: Sheffield Scimitars 0

Second Period

The second opened in much the same as the first, the Bombers were under the greater pressure but some good fore-checking and strength in defence was holding the Scimitars at bay.
It was the Bombers who opened the scoring first as Paul Windridge netted assisted by Martin Lewis and David Thomas at 29:32.

The Scimitars were quick to respond through Les Millie who applied the finish to a goalmouth scramble to level the scores assisted by Dean Smith at 30:52.
With the Bombers looking to get the go ahead goal they were given another power play opportunity as Sheffield’s Les Millie was called for a 2 minute elbows call.

Again the Bombers could not break the Sheffield defence and on occasion Sheffield looked threatening whilst short handed, as they played off the penalty without loss.

At 36:58 the Scimitars got the go ahead goal, As James Goodman descended on Adam Flett in the Bombers net, Ian Richardson appeared to have taken the sting out of Goodman’s attack and Adam Flett spread low, unfortunately the puck trickled under the pads of Adam Flett.

At 37:09 the Bombers were again given another power play opportunity when Neil Abel was called for a tripping penalty and again the Bombers could not make any gains on the power plays.

The Bombers kept testing the Scimitars but could not sustain any concerted pressure on the Sheffield outfit.

The second closed Billingham Bombers 1: Sheffield Scimitars 2

 

Third Period

The third opened with the Bombers first penalty of the game at 44:21 as Scott Ward was called for a 2 minute tripping call. With the Bombers shorthanded the Scimitars tried to up their game but to the credit of the Bombers penalty kill line and Adam Flett in the Bombers goal, the Scimitars were never allowed to settle into their power play.

The Scimitars extended their lead at 55:25 when Shaun Ashton scored an evenhanded goal.

At 57:02 Les Millie struck again for the Scimitars with a skilfully executed wraparound goal that beat Adam Flett low.

The exertions required at keeping the game tight in the first were now starting to tell on the Bombers and the Scimitars netted their fifth goal at 59:51 scored by John Ross with assists to Gavin Farrand and Dean Smith.

The third closed Billingham Bombers 1: Sheffield Scimitars 5

A performance of determination and endurance, that saw the Bombers contain the Scimitars until 5 minutes from the end of the game, not taking it away from Sheffield as a 5 1 win is a worthy victory but the Bombers had played a clean competitive and entertaining game.