Ice-hockey: Streatham set for title-deciding clash at Slough Jets

BY CHRISTOPHER BEAL

Streatham set the stage for a potentially title-race deciding encounter with Slough Jets on Saturday with a 12-0 win over Cardiff Fire on Saturday evening.

The RedHawks closed the gap to being one point behind Slough in the NIHL 1 South table. Danny Ingoldsby started the scoring early on three minutes, with help from Ziggy Beesley and a returning Tomasz Skokan.

Ben Scanlan in the Fire net weathered a storm of shots for the next six minutes before Ingoldsby added his second of the game after nine minutes.

Again he was assisted by Beesley with the secondary going to Sam Waller. Beesley added a goal of his own after 15 minutes, with JJ Pitchley assisting, and Ingoldsby returned the favour on his first two goals with the second assist to make it 3-0.

Streatham extended their lead 45 seconds into the second period. Danny Ingoldsby completed a hat-trick of goals, assisted by Damon Porter.

Porter scored a minute later, Sam Waller with his second assist of the night. Scanlan fended off more Streatham pressure for the next five minutes before he conceded the sixth goal after 26 minutes.

Ryan Watt continued his recent home scoring streak, assisted by Ingoldsby and Luke Brittle.

Josh Ealey-Newman netted the seventh after 26 minutes, assisted by Roman Cathcart.

Beesley delivered a sniper’s shot from the wing almost straight after to make it 8-0.

An unassisted goal for Roman Cathcart after 32 minutes was the catalyst for Cardiff to make a change in net. Brochan Evans took over but failed to stop the bleeding as a minute later Luke Brittle scored – with assists to Cathcart and Ben Paynter.

Ingoldsby netted his fourth of the night with a rare goalie assist for Danny Milton.

Evans and the Fire put in a stronger defensive display in the third period, conceding once. Aidan Doughty netted with Waller completing a hat-trick of assists with help from Harvey Stead.

Coach Paynter said: “It was pretty bread and butter tonight. We were ok in the first period, the second was really good and the third was one of those periods where we were trying a few things out ahead of the big games coming up.

“That Cardiff team beat a good Solent team a couple of weeks back. So we went into tonight with the same mindset as any game. Obviously, we were quite comfortable in this game, but we still wanted to play the right way and build momentum heading into that big upcoming game”

Streatham are now off on the road for the next couple of weekends, starting with the Jets clash and then another away fixture at Swindon on Sunday.

Their next home game will be against MK Thunder on March 16 (6.45pm).