What's wrong with the Scimitars?

by Mark Duell

Can somebody please tell me what we have done wrong this year to deserve what we have had so much of? Yes, we’ve had another weekend where we have failed to notch up a win and as you know I am getting sick to the proverbial back teeth of it. Us Scimdogs don’t deserve this you hear, surely the tide has got to turn sometime please.

Despite facing the sides which we lost to the weekend previously, I felt like a quick revenge mission was on the cards and we would be back on track and attempt to get in touch with the four that are seemingly putting some daylight between themselves and the rest. Yes a pattern is beginning to form at the head of the EPL with any of four looking at the prize at the end of the season as successors to Peterborough.

Sure I would like to see us there, which hockey fan wouldn’t like to see their team challenging for silverware, but what I do realise is that we are a club still in transition and it’s going to take time to be that top dog ranking we so want. Our problem is that we are not getting enough people through to watch, and when you have an Elite team across the car park, it’s doubly hard than ever particularly when they have a home game at the same time as you do. If only the Elite and EPL worked alongside each other when they create the fixture lists like they do in football then that’d be problem solved. But can you really see it happen? We can only hope…

Saturday started strange for me as I decided I’d go for a skate in the morning, yeah my first steps in my brand new hockey skates ever. Naturally I was rubbish, but hey I was giving it a try. Slipped on me backside twice only, but had a bit of skin the size of a pinhead taken out by a stray skate blade when someone slipped at same time. My enthusiasm unbowed, I’m going for another skate soon in my bid to achieve something I really want to do. Thanks to the nice female assistant whoever she is, good looking too I add, for her encouraging words of advice. I must get to know her better ;)

Off to college then to get the result of my mock ITQ Level 2 Spreadsheet exam which I completed just before Xmas. Passed that with flying colours, no errors – nothing! Mood really upbeat now, and phoned my sister to tell her and wish her also a big happy birthday. Could only get better I thought, yeah? Mate supplying updates from Bracknell, NHL 09 on the X Box and a few cold beers. Sorted. Two down after just over 20 minutes play, then cue turn around to lead 4-2 with just one period left. I’m starting to think this is turning into one of those days (won’t talk about Pools losing 5-0 at home to MK).

However, the Bees buzzed back in the third and took it into overtime: their fourth coming with just 20 seconds before the final hooter. Not good at all, and we’ve had three players off injured and also we’re not icing either Simon Butterworth or Peter Slamiar tonight. Definitely not a good feeling, then compounded when Bees score a OT winner with just 34 seconds left before what would have been pen shots. Knocked the smile from my face it did but would have been worse if I had actually been there to see.

Sunday morning and the snow’s now definitely gone from around the flat, just small ice patches scattered about. No football again, nine weeks in a row now, so had a lie in…until half past nine! Mam cheers us up and phones up to say we’ve won 60 quid on the Irish lotto (got my share today so well happy), and the loss to Bracknell is nothing but a hazy memory – perhaps something to do with the beer? Phantoms at Ice Sheffield tonight, a winnable game I think.

Got to rink for usual time, walked in with our physiotherapist and shared a few jokes with her. I really think she enjoys being part of the team, I mean she’s always smiling. Grabbed a quick few words with referee Steve Wardell, joked that he’d best let us win tonight which got him laughing. Well, I just couldn’t resist saying it. Match was entertaining, both teams short on imports too as Slami still out for us and they were missing both Ziedins and MacIver. We can win this I really believed.

Took the lead just before the end of the first thanks to a well executed finish from Tom Squires but the bad luck came back again in the second. A cross came in from James Ferrara I think and it hits Lee Haywood’s skate and leaves Ben helpless. Second home game in a row we’ve had a freak goal scored against us. The game then goes like a seesaw, Lee scoring at the right end before the infamous James Morgan levelled. The Phantoms third changed the game, we were sure the net had been taken off its moorings before Gough scored but it was judged a legitimate goal after much consulation between ref, linesmen and goal judge. A fourth and then losing Mark Stewart to a match penalty finished us off.

So that’s now an unwanted seven losses on the spin, and surely we should get back to winning ways soon? This weekend we have bottom placed Romford home and away, surely we should pick at least two points from tehse games? Here’s a hoping so anyway….

blog comments powered by Disqus

Cardiff	0-3	Basingstoke
12th March 2006 19:00
Coventry	5-3	Sheffield
12th March 2006 19:00
Edinburgh	4-5	Belfast
12th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	1-4	Nottingham
12th March 2006 19:00
Basingstoke	4-4	Cardiff
11th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	2-4	Coventry
11th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

Chelmsford	5-8	Telford
19th March 2006 19:00
Hull	5-1	Wightlink
19th March 2006 19:00
Romford	4-1	Milton Keynes
19th March 2006 19:00
Slough	5-2	Swindon
19th March 2006 19:00
Solihull	3-7	Bracknell
19th March 2006 19:00
Sheffield	1-1	Guildford
19th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

New Season

Stats Centre

What's wrong with the Scimitars?

British Ice Hockey

Elite League

Premier League

Partner Information