Arrows slay the Dragons

Whitley’s U12’s last home game of the season started with the music thumping to welcome the visitors from North Wales.  Deeside were one place below Whitley in the league, so this could be a close game.   A farcical start to the game saw the entire Whitley players fly off the ice to change into away kit to avoid a clash of kit.  A maroon squad of young athletes emerged to start the game proper.  Each side had early chances and Daniel Crowe made some fine saves to maintain the shut out.  Callum Taylor received a 2 minute penalty for tripping.  Once again, Whitley came to life when under greater pressure and after Joe Walls created and missed two clear chances, a long range rocket from Alex Nergaard flew under the keeper to put Whitley 1 – 0 up.  Thomas Fraser then pounced onto a spilled shot in front of net to double the advantage.  Some great team defending resisted Deeside’s attack until a shot deceived Crowe to reach the back of the home net.  The first period ended 2 – 1 to Whitley. 

Some early pressure from Whitley was nullified by a resolute Welsh side that showed a willing spirit to stay in the game.  Whitley needed some magic from their front line and this started with Fraser netting after 22 minutes, Jay Lucas with the assist.  The next score would surely be a turning point in the game.  Deeside pressed on and kept Crowe busy in-between the pipes.  Joe Walls broke and Luke Mitcheson’s follow up was well saved.  Joe Walls did tap into his skills locker to solo a great goal to make it 4 – 1 to Whitley.  A cross-checking penalty for Jack Hennebelle put pressure on Whitley running towards the end of the second period.  The penalty was killed off and some smart saves from Crowe kept the advantage to Whitley going into the final period.

The final 15 minutes started brightly for the home team and Fraser finished off a swift break, firing the puck into the top left corner.  A Joe Walls rocket hit the Deeside  number 12 on the helmet and flew past the keeper into the net, a deserved piece of good fortune.  Holly Johnson received a 2 minute penalty for holding, this was no reflection on the superb game that she was having alongside the pure class of Luke Royle.  A Jay Lucas break was finished by Joe Walls with Bobby Campbell in support after winning the puck on his blue line.  Summerson and Wilkinson fought hard in centre ice and when a Nergaard shot was saved, Luke Mitcheson used his positional awareness to net the chance to make the scores 8 – 1.  With Wilkinson’s interference penalty Whitley’s penalty kill team once again netted to take the score to 9 – 1 through Nergaard.  That was the final score in a powerful display by the home team.

Player of the game went to  Jack Hennebelle for Whitley.

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