Additional Comments:

Following a couple of close losses against the Buffalo earlier this season and with Michael Ranby back from injury it was hoped this would be the time for the Lions to turn the tables. Sadly it was not to be, a first period of disastrous play sealing the team’s fate once again.

The Lions matched their opponents for the first few minutes. Almost as soon as the game started Romanas Fedotovas had a mini breakaway but dithered too much in his approach and hit straight at the goalie. Lee Valley soon faced their first moment of danger when Basingstoke’s Danield Goodchild was left totally clear but Andrew Boot in the Lions’ goal made a solid save.

Lee Valley gained a five-on-three advantage as Scott Padwick and Neil Leary sat out penalties for the Buffalo but play was weak. The only chance of a goal came when Gennadi Yufit made a close-range shot that felled Basingstoke’s netminder but the whistle blew just as a rebound attempt was in progress.

The Lions were caught short as Andrew Boot came way out of his net and it was extraordinary that Basingstoke did not manage to score. There followed some brave defending from Nick Alley before James Hatfull received 2-mins for hooking. Boot made some great saves while his team were short-handed but almost as soon as they were back to full strength the Buffalo slid their first goal in. Given the continuous and well-planned bombardment on the Lions’ goal, together with the Lions’ defence frequently well out of position, a goal was inevitable. It was from around this point that Basingstoke took charge of the period and Lee Valley’s confidence took a nose-dive.

Romanas Fedotovas then received a 2+10 penalty for checking from behind, a very harsh penalty for what appeared to be next to nothing. Shot upon shot came at Andrew Boot and as one rebounded off the boards it was bounced into the goal by Ryan Cathcart to put the home side 2-0 up. Boot was left completely devoid of defenders again and at 16:28 Basingstoke scored again, Simon Beere taking the honours.

The nightmare continued in the second period. Yet again Andrew Boot had no-one in front of him and Daniel Goodchild was allowed to score unhindered at 24:32. Stas Prokofiev and Ashley Curtin made good attempts to find the goal but were thwarted by Alec Field in the Basingstoke net.

The home team’s fifth goal was the same old story – scored by Simon Beere from right in front of the goal while the Lions’ defence were awol. Although you’d expect the Lions to have learnt their lesson they continued to allow Basingstoke to be one-trick ponies, hence the sixth goal followed the same pattern, courtesy of John Mansell. In fact, Lee Valley were lucky not to go 7-0 down as a Buffalo shot hit the crossbar and Andrew Boot found himself sprawled across the goal as the rebound was fired.

This seemed to act as a wake-up call because the Lions definitely stepped up their game during the second half of the period, giving Field in the Basingstoke net more than a little trouble. Romanas Fedotovas hit the post just before the end of the period but a first Lee Valley goal continued to be elusive.

That finally changed in the third period as Stas Prokofiev scored at 40:37 after being neatly set up by Michael Jacobs (who was inexplicably not credited with an assist). An error by Nick Alley caused a breakaway but he redeemed himself by diving for the puck and the brief emergency was over. However, a further breakaway soon followed and the Lions’ defence were caught on the hop once more. Fortunately Andrew Boot held strong and made the save. Boot then made a wrong judgement in coming well out of his goal but luck was on his side as, despite having a completely clear target, Basingstoke’s shot somehow managed to go astray.

A further attempt to score was stopped by Boot but when a Buffalo player tried to knock the puck from his grasp a minor skirmish ensued which saw James Hatfull sidelined for 2-mins for slashing. The penalty was spent without incident and then Lee Valley had a powerplay as Jack McCaughan was sent to the penalty box, receiving 2-mins for hooking. Nick Alley scored a powerful slapshot goal at 53:10, the assist going to Stas Prokofiev.

The Lions dominated the final period, preventing any further Basingstoke goals and and demonstrating the level of play they are perfectly capable of. They also out-shot their hosts by 19 to 8. Sadly the first period had been nothing short of diabolical and was very frustrating to watch. If Lee Valley had played the first two periods as they did the last then the score might have given everyone something to smile about on the long and rainy journey home.

Referee was Brown and Linesmen were Warman and Middleton.