Tomahawks Vs. Coventry

In their second game of the weekend, the Tomahawks played host to league leaders Coventry. Coventry went into the game with the best defensive record of any team at any level in the country, incredibly conceding only 2 goals in 8 games so far. The Tomahawks went into the game on the back of a 13-0 win at Manchester yesterday, again without the injured Jack Davies, but with Robert Miker making his home debut.

Whitley made the best possible start when Harry Harley picked up a loose puck inside the Coventry blue line, took a couple of steps towards goal and beat netminder Adam Goss high at his near post after only 99 seconds. After chances at both ends, Coventry drew level at 6.14 when Ben Norton found David Rogers with a pass from behind the home net and he beat Mark Turnbull with a low shot from close range. Whitley had a great chance to regain the lead later in the period when they had a 2 man advantage for 90 seconds but couldn`t beat Goss, who was in fine form after conceding that early goal.

Miker had a great chance at the start of the 2nd period to restore Whitley’s lead, when he had a breakaway opportunity, but  Goss came to his teams rescue with a fine block, then he denied Miker again with a glove save from the Czechs slapshot. Dale Sharp was next to be thwarted by Goss, when he too had a breakaway chance, but the keeper made a great save to deny him. Then, at 12.12 of the period Coventry took the lead against the run of play when Joshua Maurice was sent clear by Norton and he found the 5 hole to beat Turnbull. Ben Richards missed a golden opportunity to draw the Tomahawks level late on when Miker set him up in front of net, but he fanned on his shot and the chance was gone. Having dominated the 2nd period, the Tomahawks went into the interval trailing 2-1.

The 3rd period was only 46 seconds old when the home side got back on level terms, Dale Sharp netting on the doorstep after good work by Richards behind the net. Two minutes later, the visitors were back in front when Ross Deffley collected the puck from Goss, and with seemingly nothing on he unleashed a slapshot from halfway that somehow beat Turnbull in the home net. A lot of teams would have been deflated after such a goal, but the Tomahawks came straight back and drew level once more just 39 seconds later when Richards shot was dropped by Goss and Miker had the easy task of tapping into the open net. Harry Harley had a great chance to put Whitley ahead once more when he raced clear of the Coventry defence, only to be hooked from behind by Matt Selby. With the home crowd wanting a penalty shot, referee Evans only awarded a 2 minute penalty to Selby. However, Whitley took full advantage of the power play opportunity when Callum Read had his shot blocked from the point, and the puck fell to Harley who beat Goss again high at his near post to give the home side the lead again at 36.28. The rest of the period saw the Tomahawks frustrate the visitors by dumping the puck and setting up a wall of 5 defenders which they couldn`t penetrate, and the home side gained a valuable 4-3 win to keep their hopes of reaching the National Finals on track and inflicting the first defeat of the season on a very good Coventry side.

Spirit of the Game; #64 Ben Richards
Goals; Harry Harley 2+0, Robert Miker 1+1, Dale Sharp 1+0, Callum Read 0+1, Callum Queenan 0+1
Shots Faced; Mark Turnbull 35, Adam Goss 34

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