Lee Valley Lions

Haringey Greyhounds

Goals

Penalties

Lee Valley Lions

Haringey Greyhounds

Additional Comments:

Local derbies are normally full of passion as each team vies to be the king of their area.  At Alexandra Palace earlier in the season, when the Lions went down 8 – 4 to the Hounds, it was there in abundance and you would have thought this game would be a replay in that department. Unfortunately for those present it was a very flat game, until halfway through the third (more about that later), with an injury-ridden Haringey content to contain a Lions team that looked very different from recent appearances.

Lee Valley had problems controlling possession in the first and were outshot  by 9 to 7. Although they had the majority of the play could just not get any shots away. They even had a 5 on 3 advantage for nearly 1 ½ minutes but had no shots on goal during the powerplay. There were many occasions when it looked like things were going to happen for the Lions, but the final pass would just go astray. Andrew Holdaway had a great break, but his drop pass was just poked away from the advancing forward.

The Hounds scored their first goal against the run of play as experienced duo of Dodds and Bestic combined to assist Rutherford to score. Their second arose from a defensive mistake, as Fedotovas gave up the puck in his zone and two Greyhounds gave Alley no chance. Although Haringey started slowly, by the end of the first, they were controlling the play and looking to score on the break. The Lions did get on the scoreboard near the end of the session as Nick Alley found Beeson who scored from his favourite narrow angle.

From the statistics you would have thought that the second period was full of excitement as Lee Valley put 18 shots on goal, but they failed to score as every shot went straight at Steven Andrews in the Haringey goal. Nick Alley came closest as he shot, got his own rebound and shot again, but Andrews seemed to fill his net and there was no way past. Haringey went further ahead when a Martin shot escaped Alley and tricked through his legs.

The last session produced five goals and in the last six minutes something to cheer for, as the Lions started a spirited comeback. Early on Stas Prokofiev had a shot neatly tipped by Michael Jacobs but the goalie saw it all the way, and they had another 5 on 3 powerplay opportunity but failed to find the net.

The Greyhounds scored their fourth goal to open up a three goal lead. Shortly after this Prokofiev went down close to the boards and hit them hard, not moving for a few minutes. He was finally assisted off the ice, and took no further part in the game.

Lee Valley had a good chance to pull one back as Jacobs released Michael Ranby, he tried to deke the goalie but Andrews did not commit and stayed with him to make the save. It then looked all over for the Lions as Bestic added a fifth goal, Alley making the save but the puck popped up and into the goal. But, it was far from over as two minutes later the puck was in front of the Hounds’ net, Nick Alley spun on a sixpence to catch both their defence and the goalie out to reduce the margin to three. A mere 90 seconds later and the Ally Pally team were caught again as Paul O’Neill fed Beeson for his second of the night.

Haringey called a Time Out to try to refocus their team, but just 16 seconds into the restart Breigoos got the Lions’ fourth goal. This set up an intensive last few minutes as Lee Valley then called a Time Out too. Despite good pressure from the Lions, the Greyhounds hung on to record the season double by that single goal.

During the second and third periods Lee Valley had ten minutes with at least a one man advantage, outshot the Greyhounds by 36 to 21, but failed to score on the powerplay. If Lee Valley had performed for at least half the game the way they played in the last six minutes, the outcome would have been very different, and the fans wouldn’t be left wondering which team will turn up on match nights.

Referee was Meekison, Linesmen were Stephenson and Cooper.

Thanks to Tony Boot for writing this match report.