Whitley Warriors picked up their 2nd competitive victory of the 2014/15 season last Sunday evening when Simon Leach’s side were able to comprehensively beat the Manchester Minotaurs on Tyneside. Young forwards Ben Richards and Callum Queenan were both passed fit to play after picking up knocks in Warriors last match up however veteran blue liner Paul Matthews missed the game through injury while senior goaltender Richie Lawson was unavailable.
Mark Turnbull started the match in goal for Warriors with Joe Harley acting as back up netminder. Whitley had a roster of 18 players to select from (including the 2 netminders) which comprised 10 forwards and 6 d men. The visitors were a little short benched as Manchester travelled north with only 10 skaters plus their 2 goaltenders.
Once the action got under way Warriors captain Jamie Tinsley was penalised for cross checking just 17 seconds into the match up which saw Manchester go on an early powerplay however Whitley were able to thwart Minotaurs special team. As the game progressed Warriors began to put the Manchester defence under a great deal of pressure and Whitley forward Dean Holland fired the home side into the lead after 9 minutes of play with a powerful blast from just inside the blue line.
Jamie Tinsley made it 2-0 just 5 minutes later when the Warriors skipper fired past Minotaurs impressive netminder Arran Fox following some pleasing build up play from Scott Cooper and Alex Lawson. Manchester started the 2nd period positively and after a scramble in front of the Warriors net Oliver Payne lit the lamp for Minotaurs from close range.
The visitors were then presented with another powerplay opportunity when Jamie Tinsley was sent to the sin bin for checking from behind however during their spell with the man advantage Manchester failed to generate many offensive opportunities and it was Warriors who grabbed the games next goal a shorthanded effort from the in-form Harry Harley.
Whitley were now getting on top of the Manchester defence and DJ Good fired home to make the scoreline 4-1 in Warriors favour just before the 30 minute mark. Whitley continued to create openings and Warriors extended their lead to 6-1 by the end of the 2nd period through strikes from youngsters Callum Queenan and Liam Smedley.
For the final session of play both sides opted to change their goaltenders which saw Joe Harley replace Mark Turnbull in Warriors net while Harry Greaves took the place of Arran Fox for the Minotaurs. Greaves was soon picking the puck out of his own net though when Warriors young defenceman Craig Johnson slotted home his first ever NIHL North goal with a nice strike on the powerplay.
Warriors continued to pressurise the Manchester defence throughout the 3rd period and Whitley were rewarded for their endeavour late on when Daniel Harris and Ben Richards both the found the back of the net which saw Warriors claim a 9-1 victory over the side from the north west.
Harry Harley who picked up 3 points during the contest was chosen as Whitley’s Man of the Match while James Soens was chosen as the Minotaurs top performer. Manchester’s starting netminder Arran Fox also impressed as he turned away 48 of the 54 shots that he faced during his 40 minutes out on the ice.
Whitley Points
Dan Harris 1+3, Harry Harley and DJ Good 1+2, Dean Holland, Craig Johnson, Callum Queenan and Jamie Tinsley 1+1, Liam Smedley and Ben Richards 1+0, Alex Lawson and Dan Pye 0+2, Martin Crammond and Scott Cooper 0+1
Penalty Minutes
Warriors – 20
Manchester – 10
Period Scores –
1st (2-0) 2nd (4-1) 3rd (3-0)
Shots on goal
On Warriors – 17 (Turnbull 11, J.Harley6)
On Minotaurs – 75 (Fox 54, Greaves 21)
Referee – Wardell
Warriors are next in action over the weekend of the 8th/9th November, Whitley travel to Manchester on Saturday the 8th in a NIHL North league fixture before facing the Solway Sharks the following evening on home ice in Whitley Bay when the Solway Sharks are the visitors in a St Andrews Cup contest that will face off at 5pm.