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The Inferno
Cardiff Devils U18's Match Report Bracknell
19th Nov 2012 | Posted by Geraint Walters
Cardiff Devils U18s 5 - 4 Bracknell Drones U18s
The Devils U18s squad started off a Bracknell double on Saturday at the BBT with both the U18s and NIHL1 entertaining the Berkshire side. The Devils U18s went into the match with a 100% record this year to date and tied in top spot with Bracknell and Guildford. Bracknell are a strong title contender and would provide a stern test for the Devils unbeaten record and own title credentials this year.
The match as expected started out at a fast pace and with a physical edge to it, with both teams were finishing their checks early on. The Devils were the first side to test the goalies with the impressive Latchford, Griffiths, Shanahan line forcing Stafford-Webb in the visitor’s nets into early action. The visitors though soon got a grip of the game and showed themselves to be a well drilled team, and put the Devils under spells of intense pressure. Inparticular the Bracknell Power Play looked dangerous, and on their first man advantage the really put Cardiff under pressure and tested James Whiting in goal who made several key stops to keep the match at 0-0. The Devils Power-Play was also looking sharp in spells and were given a chance with 2 minutes remaining in the period to go on the man advantage. Good control along the boards from Shanahan and Latchford allowed the Devils to roll out and shot several efforts on goal, which Stafford-Webb was equal to. And with the Bracknell penalty just over and the final second ticking off the clock, Lacthford stepped off the boards again and fired a hard low shot which finally beat the netminder and sent the Devils in 1-0 with right on the buzzer.
The Devils squad came out firing for the 2nd period and had their best 20 minutes of the game, with periods of pressure that had Bracknell scrambling at the back. And it was the with the Man advantage that the Devils would strike again. Jack Randall on the point kept a puck in and fired a shot to net that was saved, on for Latchford to be on hand to bury the rebound and give the Devils a 2-0 lead. This forced Bracknell to come out and attack more and with gaps opening at the back the home team should have increased the lead with several opportunities missed and Shanahan cranking the pipe on a 2 on 1 break away. These chances weren’t taken though and the Devils went in happy at 2-0, but with a player in the penalty box.
With the third starting with Bracknell on the man advantage their Power Play Unit finally got its reward. The Drones moved the puck around well, and Cam Barker fed Brendan Baird across the blue line who one timed a shot that beat Whiting to his far post. This goal breathed life into the visiting team and supporters and they came at the U18 Devils hard, and within 3 minutes had the game tied. A scramble at the back post led to a hotly debated goal. With a pile of players in front of goal and the whistle blown the Devils were sure the puck hadn’t crossed the line before play stopped, but to the disappointment of the home team the officials debated before awarding the goal to leave the game 2-2 with 16 minutes remaining. And it was to be 16 extremely exciting minutes of hockey. Cardiff bounced straight back and went on the attack and within two minutes were back in the lead. A Joe Morris shot from the point forced a save, but Aaron Archer had got to the net first and scrambled the puck home for a 3-2 lead. And the two goal lead was restored with the goal of the game. The Devils Power Play went to work again and after strong work from Ellis Price to win a puck along the boards, he found Owen Griffiths with a pass behind the net, who skated out in front and found Latchford back post who had the net begging and finished for his hat trick. Again though Bracknell came forward intent to take something from the game and got it back to a one gaol game when Sam Duggan popped up to hit his second of the game with 6 minutes left. The Devils have shown real mental toughness this year, and again bounced right back and within a minute opened up the lead once again as good work from Owen Griffiths found Jack Randall jumping into attack from defence, who beat Stafford Webb to the near post for Devils fifth and what proved to be the game winning goal. But Bracknell still made it a tight finish, with another Power-Play goal with 2 minutes left on the clock. Jordan Gregory scoring with a shot from the point through a crowd of players. The Devils killed off the clock and won the final face-off with 3 seconds left to earn a hard fought 2 points and take their unbeaten start to 6 games. Several players from both teams came together on the final buzzer following a scrum on the final face off, which led to Latchford for the Devils and Gregory for the Drones to receive Match Penalties on the buzzer.
The Devils now travel to Guildford this Sunday with both teams tied in top spot with unbeaten records.
Scorers: Kieran Latchford 3+0, Jack Randall 1+1, Aaron Archer 1+0, Owen Griffiths 0+2, Ellis Price 0+1, Joe Morris 0+1
Shots on goal:
George Stafford-Webb (Bracknell) = 28
James Whiting (Cardiff) =35
Man of the Match: Jack Randall
The Devils U18s squad started off a Bracknell double on Saturday at the BBT with both the U18s and NIHL1 entertaining the Berkshire side. The Devils U18s went into the match with a 100% record this year to date and tied in top spot with Bracknell and Guildford. Bracknell are a strong title contender and would provide a stern test for the Devils unbeaten record and own title credentials this year.
The match as expected started out at a fast pace and with a physical edge to it, with both teams were finishing their checks early on. The Devils were the first side to test the goalies with the impressive Latchford, Griffiths, Shanahan line forcing Stafford-Webb in the visitor’s nets into early action. The visitors though soon got a grip of the game and showed themselves to be a well drilled team, and put the Devils under spells of intense pressure. Inparticular the Bracknell Power Play looked dangerous, and on their first man advantage the really put Cardiff under pressure and tested James Whiting in goal who made several key stops to keep the match at 0-0. The Devils Power-Play was also looking sharp in spells and were given a chance with 2 minutes remaining in the period to go on the man advantage. Good control along the boards from Shanahan and Latchford allowed the Devils to roll out and shot several efforts on goal, which Stafford-Webb was equal to. And with the Bracknell penalty just over and the final second ticking off the clock, Lacthford stepped off the boards again and fired a hard low shot which finally beat the netminder and sent the Devils in 1-0 with right on the buzzer.
The Devils squad came out firing for the 2nd period and had their best 20 minutes of the game, with periods of pressure that had Bracknell scrambling at the back. And it was the with the Man advantage that the Devils would strike again. Jack Randall on the point kept a puck in and fired a shot to net that was saved, on for Latchford to be on hand to bury the rebound and give the Devils a 2-0 lead. This forced Bracknell to come out and attack more and with gaps opening at the back the home team should have increased the lead with several opportunities missed and Shanahan cranking the pipe on a 2 on 1 break away. These chances weren’t taken though and the Devils went in happy at 2-0, but with a player in the penalty box.
With the third starting with Bracknell on the man advantage their Power Play Unit finally got its reward. The Drones moved the puck around well, and Cam Barker fed Brendan Baird across the blue line who one timed a shot that beat Whiting to his far post. This goal breathed life into the visiting team and supporters and they came at the U18 Devils hard, and within 3 minutes had the game tied. A scramble at the back post led to a hotly debated goal. With a pile of players in front of goal and the whistle blown the Devils were sure the puck hadn’t crossed the line before play stopped, but to the disappointment of the home team the officials debated before awarding the goal to leave the game 2-2 with 16 minutes remaining. And it was to be 16 extremely exciting minutes of hockey. Cardiff bounced straight back and went on the attack and within two minutes were back in the lead. A Joe Morris shot from the point forced a save, but Aaron Archer had got to the net first and scrambled the puck home for a 3-2 lead. And the two goal lead was restored with the goal of the game. The Devils Power Play went to work again and after strong work from Ellis Price to win a puck along the boards, he found Owen Griffiths with a pass behind the net, who skated out in front and found Latchford back post who had the net begging and finished for his hat trick. Again though Bracknell came forward intent to take something from the game and got it back to a one gaol game when Sam Duggan popped up to hit his second of the game with 6 minutes left. The Devils have shown real mental toughness this year, and again bounced right back and within a minute opened up the lead once again as good work from Owen Griffiths found Jack Randall jumping into attack from defence, who beat Stafford Webb to the near post for Devils fifth and what proved to be the game winning goal. But Bracknell still made it a tight finish, with another Power-Play goal with 2 minutes left on the clock. Jordan Gregory scoring with a shot from the point through a crowd of players. The Devils killed off the clock and won the final face-off with 3 seconds left to earn a hard fought 2 points and take their unbeaten start to 6 games. Several players from both teams came together on the final buzzer following a scrum on the final face off, which led to Latchford for the Devils and Gregory for the Drones to receive Match Penalties on the buzzer.
The Devils now travel to Guildford this Sunday with both teams tied in top spot with unbeaten records.
Scorers: Kieran Latchford 3+0, Jack Randall 1+1, Aaron Archer 1+0, Owen Griffiths 0+2, Ellis Price 0+1, Joe Morris 0+1
Shots on goal:
George Stafford-Webb (Bracknell) = 28
James Whiting (Cardiff) =35
Man of the Match: Jack Randall
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