Banners On The Road – Streatham IHC vs Slough Jets 25/2/24

Posted: 27/02/2024 | Author: | Filed under: Banners On The Road, NIHL | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

NIHL South 1 Cup Final, second leg

Streatham IHC 1-0 Slough Jets

Redhawks: Skokan eng

Jets:

Streatham win 3-1 on aggregate

The idea for this piece is it’ll be a bit more article/prose than a straight match report to go a bit more in depth and give this game what it deserved.

Dedicated to the memory of Dayle “Keeno” Keen, who gave so much to and loved this sport

I was born in South London though I’ve not been back for some time before today. I’d forgotten just how thin the roads were. I’d also forgotten that nearly everywhere now seems to have a 20mph speed limit, which having bombed legally down the motorway at a much higher speed, and by the time I reverse parked into one of the very thin spaces in the car park, I’m tired and late.

I’d not been to Streatham as a place since long before the refurb of the ice rink and what I was greeted with was of a lot of the more modern style of building. Lots of steel and glass greeted me along with the sight of EIHA off ice official, Steve Merry pulling the tags off the soon to be awarded cup winners hats.

Heading upstairs to an ice rink will never not be odd to me. A crowd are milling about at the top of the stairs watching the cross-ice junior games happening and I’m greeted by Dawn D’Anger, one half of Streatham’s married owners. Dawn is a very tall, jovial women but clearly had things on her mind when I asked to speak to her. Where her husband Graham looks after supporting the on-ice activities as opposed to her more off ice role, I feel I have to ask the question I’ve asked a lot of people during the build-up to the game.

“How am I feeling? Nervous, but confident. If the boys play their game, then they’ll be alright. I’m looking forward to it.”

I’m pointed where to go and after dumping my bag by where I intend to sit, I head towards the Streatham dressing room, manoeuvring my way through the mass of children and parents given the junior games have finished.

After asking one of the bench staff to fetch him, Streatham player/coach Ben Paynter strode out of towards me, half dressed. Paynter and I have chatted a lot across the season, he and I live about 20 minutes apart, and I’ve spent some time in the build up to the game trying to get some idea into his mindset and how he approaches the plate spinning act of coaching and playing.

From our discussions, my usual impression of Paynter is that he’s a very laid-back individual but also very driven. In speaking after the 2023 National Final loss to Solway, even in his sadness I could see he was planning his next move. He plans then he plays and doesn’t try to overcomplicate things.

Stood before me, in half his kit, something strikes me. During the week, Paynter had told me he was nervous and excited for the weekend but when he’s at the rink, it melts away. However, as he’s standing before me, I see something that I had to mention.

“You look nervous”, I say.

“Me? Nah, I feel great. It all goes away now.” The energy is very clearly there though. All hockey players shuffle their feet and don’t stand still well but Paynter is almost at 1.5 speed. If he’s not nervous, he’s certainly energetic during our chat.

Paynter wasn’t happy about how the Redhawks had gotten into penalty trouble the night before and neither was JJ Pitchley when he popped out to speak to me.

“I was in a foul mood before the game yesterday, but I feel alright today. Just want to get on with today now, I’m excited.”

JJ is a unique character; as blunt as a snapped pencil, I once told him that on the ice he could get under the skin of the devil. Off ice, he’s a much calmer personality and even now, where his coach seemed to be a bit more energetic, Pitchley is almost statue still.

As players head back to the room, one man stands coffee in hand and watches. Looking very dapper in a blue suit, brown shoes and a sovereign ring big enough to knock out a bouncer, Josh Ealey-Newman is smiling through his frustration.

“Hate the fact that I can’t play. We live for games like this and when you can’t be out there. The hope is I’ll be ready for the playoffs but I know the boys can do it.”

During the week I’d spoken to Jets defenceman, Charlie Ottowell who had said to me that the way the Jets would win is because they’re a tight knit group who would do whatever it takes to win so I asked Josh the same question. How would Slough beat Streatham?

“Not let us settle and if we get into penalty trouble again like yesterday. They’re quick, they’re energetic but we’ve got enough to counter it. We think we’ll win, they think that they can win. We’ll see in a bit.”

I headed to the back row of the rink to sit alongside Chris Beal, Streatham’s match night updater. Both sides were suffering with injuries. The hosts were without a raft of player to the point Ben Paynter had called his predecessor, former player/coach Michael Farn, out of retirement to help on defence. The Jets were without one of the league’s best players. Jack Goodchild had sustained an injury the night before and wasn’t risked by Jets’ coach Lukas Smital.

Unsurprisingly for a team full of young players, the Jets came out flying, if you’ll pardon the pun but after an initial flurry, the hosts woke up and the game locked into the heavyweight slugging match many had anticipated. The feeling out process was long gone for these two sides, no working out the distance, the metaphorical jabs were already flying with Danny Milton and Brett Massey needing to be aware early and often.

A charging penalty to Brandon Miles immediately set everyone around me on edge. A powerplay meant extra space for Slough to work with but the penalty kill unit were up to the task.  More penalties followed as Michael Farn and Luke Smital started what would be an evening long battle earning them a seat and Ryan Watt was called for slashing. That powerplay produced arguably the best chance of the game to that point, as Ollie Hemmings-Maher fed Jacob Minter in front, but his onetime shot from the top of the crease sailed wide.  The Redhawks responded with their own shorthanded chance but Ben Ealey-Newman was denied by Massey.

Streatham then had their own powerplay and their own huge chance; Ziggy Beesley muscled his way past seemingly the whole Jets penalty kill unit before setting up Pitchley who hooked his shot wide. The first came to an end still tied at 0-0 on the night.

The second period initially lacked the fluidity of the first. The sides came out with the same intensity, but the neutral zone was becoming clogged, not helped by the extra length the sides were skating for the long chance. Streatham were particularly guilty of trying to make all their passes thread the thinnest of needles which was easy for the Jets to pick off. The issue for the visitors was that they couldn’t get room in the middle of the ice, immediately pushed wide by the Streatham defenders and nullifying numerous attacks.

It was going to take a moment of magic or an error to make something happen and it was the later that put the crowd’s hearts into their mouths. Jack Hoppes was guilty of puck watching, the shot coming in and shouldered away by Milton. However, with the defence out of position, Jets’ captain Conor Redmond had the puck and space. He skated hard to the net, drawing Milton down and he lifted the puck up only to see it go agonisingly over the crossbar.

The Jets had the momentum which the hosts had to hold firm to resist. Tempers flared as the second period concluded, which saw players shouting at each other and Ben Ealey-Newman flapping chicken arms at Jacob Soper. The sides could still not be separated on the night but with only 20 minutes to go and Streatham still a goal to the good.

After watching the unrivalled rarity that is someone winning at Scoro, a real atmosphere came over the building as everyone knew what was about to happen. It was a minimum of 20 minutes for glory but first, someone had to find a way through.

The Jets necessarily started pushing the pace and again, the hosts were on the back foot. Danny Milton was suddenly called into action after one of his colleagues decided that the top of the crease was the place to do a fiddly transition from forehand to backhand with the puck. Beesley forced a save from Massey before Milton stoned Dylan Holicka who had been left alone in front.

When JJ Pitchley was called for slashing whilst subsequently being tripped himself, the home fans were indignant as the away fans sensed that this was their moment but the Jets just couldn’t generate enough quality offence on the powerplay, the best chance coming from a Seb Mohr shot that whistled over the bar.

It was time for the heavy artillery from the visitors. It was shots and pressure from all angles that forced Milton into saves from all angles, even to the point where a deflection off of Tomasz Skokan’s stick left him no choice but to sling his own head backwards and head the puck over the crossbar using the backplate of his mask.

Milton then almost caused his own issue, a hesitation coming for the loose puck saw him dealing with a Jets player steaming in towards him. The puck squirted away and Christian Mohr had the chance but couldn’t get the puck on target as the netminder and defender sprawled across the ice to block the way.

Time ticked on till eventually, the moment came. A faceoff in the Redhawks end saw Lukas Smital motion to the officials and the Jets took their timeout. Plans were made and Brett Massey stood at the end of the bench. With less than two minutes to play, the time was now. The puck dropped and the Jets just couldn’t control it, the play was loose in the zone and eventually Michael Farn found Tomasz Skokan in their own zone. The Pole looked up and fired, the Jets unable to do anything but watch the puck glide into the net and the cup slip out of their hands.

The Jets kept pressing, Massey again being pulled for the extra skater but it wasn’t enough. Where there had been an inevitability about the league title win, this had been a literal war for all sides. 120 minutes of hockey had pushed both teams to their limits. As equipment arced its way through the air and the home fans roared, Streatham hadn’t walked their way to another South 1 Cup, they had seen their chin tested and survived.

I can only imagine the heartache being felt by the Slough Jets players. Conor Redmond made a point of making sure that the team acknowledged their fans at the end for their support but make no mistake, this side gave them something to cheer. I’ve said last year that the Slough Jets were fun. This year they’ve been fun and very, very good. They have their deficiencies for sure; I’ve mentioned before about how I feel that they’re a bit too structured and the lack of Jack Goodchild’s attacking creativity and hockey IQ hurt them on the night but dear Lord, this is a very good hockey team at this level.

People will talk about the skill level or even the skill mix but what they are, and Ottowell alluded to it earlier in this piece, is that they are a unit. No man doesn’t understand or know his role. Defensively, they didn’t put a foot wrong on Sunday, beaten by a necessary risk that teams in their position have to take. The effort didn’t warrant the outcome but they were arguably a bit guilty of just not having enough ideas to get past their more experienced opponents.

Everyone wants the end of Rocky 2 but to get to Rocky 2, you have to have Rocky 1. This was Slough’s Rocky 1 moment. Be under no illusion though, if the core stays together for a bit, the time will come for this Slough Jets group and you cannot bet against them for the playoffs.

As for Streatham, the dominance continues. Yes, they had help, and Michael Farn looks like he’s never been away. Yes, they had their deficiencies as well like always looking for the perfect pass and arguably showing their opponent a little too much respect at times but experience, nous, savvy, call it what you will was the key. They didn’t panic, they didn’t let the Jets settle and when all is said and done, winners win.

It was all the little things that went well. The ability to ice Skokan and Farn as a defence pairing aside, the team defence to force the speedier Jets forwards wide and controlling the middle of the ice to minimise chances was a massive boon. Also using Brandon Miles, your most physical forward, as a defender on the penalty kill to clear the net was inspired. Then to round it all off, even when he had a wobble, Danny Milton couldn’t be punished. To concede one goal across the two legs is championship calibre.

Streatham’s time at the top will not last forever, but they know that. There was a period where every Redhawks player on the ice was over 30 and every Jets player was under 25, time alone will catch them up and they know it. There are youngsters coming through, Harvey Briggs will be amazing with time, but this team is about making hay while the sun shines. This win further stamps what we already knew which is that at Division 1 level, Streatham are one of the best. The eyes are firmly on the prizes left in store. 2 down, 3 to go.

As the fans celebrated and Brandon Miles hit the griddy, I took my leave and headed into the South London night. Pottering through South London towards the motorway home, I thought about what comes next for both these sides. If I am honest, I believe that there’s a real likelihood we will see this repeated at Alexandra Palace in April.

Lowlight of the night: That there had to be a loser. This might just be the best game I’ve seen this season.

Highlight of the night: The game itself was not a technical classic but it was entertaining. Respect to both sides for the show they put on.

Banners On The Road – Solent Devils vs Streatham IHC 3/4/24

Posted: 06/02/2024 | Author: | Filed under: Banners On The Road, NIHL | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

NIHL 1 South

Solent Devils 2-4 Streatham IHC

Devils: Coleman, Murray

Streatham: Lane, Waller, B. Ealey-Newman, Paynter eng

Appointment viewing: Even when the Bison were playing, I would seek out this fixture. Ever since the Bison played Streatham in the weird post EPL/pre–National Division era, I’d liked how they played. Jeremy Cornish’s coaching gave way to Adam Carr, to Michael Farn and now to Ben Paynter. As the National Division was in its infancy, Streatham and Solent battled it out for the South 1 title and I heard how good the games were. When the chance arises, I will always try to be in Gosport for the fixture.

I’ve had the opportunity this year to have a bit more contact with the Devils as a club, both division 1 and 2 sides but this was the busiest that I’d ever seen Gosport. The game sold out and was bolstered by a healthy contingent of fans from South London. Devils’ general manager, Alison Smart greeted me with a “oh how could I forget about you?” Infamy has its perks, I suppose. Either way, the low ceiling and busy seating made for a real feel that the game imposing onto the ice pad and had a real atmosphere to it.

In front of their own fans, it was not an auspicious start from the hosts. Streatham launched out of the gate and the first couple of shifts were all the visitors dictating the pace of play to the point that Solent didn’t get a clean zone entry for the first 2 minutes. Even with an attempted clearance off the boards taking an odd bounce and sitting on the line behind Danny Milton, that best chance for Solent wasn’t created by them.

It took till an early slashing call to Ryan Watt for the Devils to generate some offence, but they settled into the powerplay well, even if it didn’t end up being productive. However, the Streatham pressure immediately came back on and they were deservedly ahead when Ben Paynter won the attacking zone faceoff back to Jared Lane who snapped a shot past Aaron Taylor.

The Devils had some signs out life after the goal and Callum Perella-Fox decided a dance with JJ Pitchley would spark things for his side. It worked to a point as the Devils pushed their way back into the game. Eventually a bit of a messy play worked out for them. Pressure in the zone from Liam Coleman and Jack Peacock created a loose puck that the two of them initially struggled to work out between their own feet. Peacock stepped away and it allowed the space for Coleman to smash it over Milton’s right shoulder to tie the game in the later stages of the first.

The first break almost came at a bad time for Solent as the goal kickstarted them offensively and forced Streatham to reevaluate how they were approaching the game. The Devils were behind on the shotcount but level on the scoreboard and have shown the Redhawks that they too had claws.

The second started much more evenly. It seemed that the Devils had weathered the initial wave of pressure and now, having realised that they could damage the league leaders, were bringing them into their world. The game became a real war of attrition with nobody being given the space to really create anything.

The issue for the home fans was that Streatham are top for a reason and found ways to adapt. Gutting out a game in the trenches may not be their choice of game but they proved themselves capable to do so. It meant that the game would be low scoring and any mistake would be costly. Just before the halfway point came that mistake. With the puck on the wall in the Solent zone, Ziggy Beasley realised that he was about to be checked, laying it off to whoever was there, he went soaring into the boards. However, Sam Waller decided to hammer the laid off puck on net and as Beasley crashed into the boards, the puck found its way past Taylor into the bottom corner to give Streatham the lead back.

Penalties and chances continued to come but Solent were still within punching distance. They were given a lifeline when the visitors got themselves into penalty trouble. A lack of counting on the part of the Redhawks’ bench followed shortly after by a soft interference call on Sam Waller gave the hosts a 5 on 3 powerplay. Unfortunately for them, Danny Milton decided that now was the time to show why he’s the best netminder in the division as he and the penalty kill unit set about frustrating their counterparts on the powerplay.

The third continued in much the same way as the second had. This game wasn’t about to be some 8-7 gunfight at the OK Corral, this was going to be razor thin margins to decide a winner. The start was very nervy and edgy from both sides which was fitting for the occasion.

Another penalty on Waller saw the Devils put on their worst powerplay of the night, ineffective and disordered, they didn’t really generate much. When the sides returned to 5 on 5, the hosts kept pushing and forced their guests into a couple of icings in short succession. Eventually the dam broke. Steve Osman won the faceoff back to Alex Murray for a blueline drive that hit the twine with just over 10 minutes to play.

The game then went into something akin to a Rocky movie where they were strategically trying to take shots at each other. It was going to be a case of which shot made it through and which one glanced off of the proverbial chin. If anything, the visitors were guilty of not being direct enough with their offence, Taylor seemingly able to throw his glove at all the shots that came his way.

It was going to take a moment of magic or misery and ultimately it was a bit of both. Shortly after Coleman had fired a chance over, a break up ice saw the puck glide towards Kris Nekrosevicius. Under pressure, he lost control of the puck to Ben Ealey-Newman who suddenly had a direct path to goal. The Streatham forward skated in, drew Taylor down and found enough of a gap to slide it past the sprawling netminder with 3.05 to play.

Understandably the Devils started throwing everything at the Redhawks. An interference call to Coleman wouldn’t deter them as Taylor was pulled for the extra skater but eventually the puck was bundled into the empty net by the Streatham player/coach to call the contest to a close.

Whilst I venture neither coach was doing cartwheels over the performance of this game, as a neutral it was a good game of hockey. It wasn’t free flowing, it wasn’t pretty, but it was good. Where last week I saw two sides at the bottom of the league, I saw the best team in the league against one of their rivals who put on a very different game but one that gave good value for money played in front of a sold-out crowd. South 1 hockey doesn’t always get the love it deserves but these last two weeks are a reminder that there’s some real gems to be found. This game could have genuinely gone either way.

The hosts did everything right only to be stung at the end. The way to stop Streatham was to make them play Solent’s game and in the small confines of Gosport. The Devils knew that they’d have a side trying to put them under pressure but that if they could survive it, make it a battle and keep them close then they had a chance. They got so very close.

Solent’s gameplan usually predicates itself on a real team effort but there were some standout performances. Liam Coleman took man of the match off the back of a really pretty goal on top of a variety of good chances. The combination of Steve Osman, Cain Russell and Ryan Sutton were the most dangerous line for the hosts and some good line matching allowed them to exploit their speed and skill. Luke Forsyth and Jack Peacock continued to provide some energy.

One moment cost them and that’s something of a byword for Solent’s season. They are very close, the playoffs are a real chance for them to do some damage if they can just get that moment, the singular point that changes to game, to fall for them where it didn’t on this night and did the following night in Chelmsford, they can win a trophy.

As for Streatham, it’s as I said above. Good teams find a way. Having been in Gosport when Invicta came and tried to play their game and got outsmarted, the quality in Ben Paynter’s side to be able to play outside of their comfort zone, not play their game and still win.

Ziggy Beasley is a perpetual motion machine on and off the puck so his taking of the man of the match wasn’t a huge surprise. He stood out above the rest of the team on this night.

The other player who stood out for me was Tomasz Skokan who has to be in the best defensive players in the division. At even strength shepherding Preston Tombs along or on special teams with Callum Burnett, the only thing Tomasz could do for my money is shoot more.  Danny Milton won’t be happy to concede goals but when Streatham needed him most, during the 5 on 3 and at the death, he showed his class at this level.

It was a character-building performance rather than lots of players being high quality. The close and bitty nature of the game on small ice meant that that Ben Paynter needed to necessarily adjust the game plan. It was risky but you have to back your boys and Ben Ealey-Newman, who hadn’t had the best night of his hockey career, did what he was signed to do when the moment arose.

On another night, this could be a very different piece. Instead, it was two points towards South London and the march back to Coventry continues for Streatham.

Lowlight of the night: No notes

Highlight of the night: The exciting ending