Season 25/26: Week 14 Report
BILLINGHAM STARS short bench could not contain the offensive threat posed by Deeside Dragons on Sunday evening, defensive frailties and tired legs contributing to a 10-6 defeat in North Wales.
Once again missing players up and down the lineup, Billingham could at least welcome back Ben Greenhalgh from suspension. The weather contributed to an eventful and lengthy journey for both the team bus and the fans who made the trip, and it looked like it might be an even longer day when the home side moved two goals up before the three-minute mark, Jake Witkowski opening with a power play effort straight from the face off before Matty Barlow doubled the lead. The early shock seemed to kickstart Stars and they went hunting for a way back into the game, Chris Sykes seeing his effort go in off netminder Tyler de la Bertouche’s back in the sixth minute. An excellent breakaway from his own defensive zone saw Lucas Campion level the scores in the ninth minute, before Michael Elder showed the hands to move the visitors ahead from close range less than a minute later. Play seesawed as both sides battles to get the upper hand and the game was all square again in the 12th minute, Barlow with the top corner snipe. Billingham’s response was rapid, Iain Brown shooting straight through de la Bertouche 37 seconds later, but the sides would go in at the interval level when Ross Kennedy was left wide open on 16 minutes, neither team’s defences looking particularly solid in an eight-goal first period.
Witkowski broke the deadlock on 24 minutes when he placed the puck past Stars netminder Jacob Hammond, but again Billingham were quick to respond as Elder bagged his second of the game. A much quieter period was edged by the hosts when Kennedy found himself alone in space to rifle home a tasty rebound just before the halfway mark.
An early power play opportunity was eventually finished by James Moss in the 42nd minute to bring the scores back level, but that was as good as it got for the visitors as they visibly ran out of steam and the Dragons offensive lines took control. Witkowski’s hat trick marker in the 52nd minute proved to be the game winner, followed by a second hat trick in the game – this time for Kennedy – in the 55th minute mere seconds after Elder had hit the post at the other end. An attempt to stage a comeback by withdrawing Hammond backfired quickly, Witkowsi’s empty net goal in the 58th minute killing the game off completely. A late power play effort in the dying seconds from Charlie Phillips put the gloss on the win for the home side, 10-6 the final score.
Man-of-the-Match for Billingham was Lucas Campion.
Dragons Stats:
Jake Witkowski 4+2; Ross Kennedy 3+3; Matty Barlow 2+1; Charlie Phillips 1+0; Rhys Edwards 0+4; Colin Cromie 0+3; Matt Wainwright 0+2; Jared Dickinson 0+2; Ethan Mayoh 0+1
SOG: Tyler de la Bertouche 36 (12 / 8 / 16)
Stars Stats:
Michael Elder 2+1; Chris Sykes 1+3; James Moss 1+0; Lucas Campion 1+0; Iain Brown 1+0; Ben Greenhalgh 0+1; Joe Dowdle 0+1
SOG: Jacob Hammond 61 (20 / 24 / 17)
Weekend Results
NIHL Moralee Saturday:
🦅 Blackburn Hawks 7️⃣- 2️⃣ Solihull Barons ⚜️
⚔️ Leeds Knights 2 1️⃣ - 9️⃣ Telford Tigers 2 🐯
NIHL Moralee Sunday:
🐉 Deeside Dragons 🔟 - 6️⃣ Billingham Stars 💫
⚜️ Solihull Barons 2️⃣ - 3️⃣ Blackburn Hawks 🦅
🐾 Widnes Wild 7️⃣ - 3️⃣ Leeds Knights 2 ⚔️
🐯 Telford Tigers 2 🔟 - 2️⃣ Nottingham Lions 🦁