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 The Solway Sharks, sponsored by Border Utilities,
became the first Dumfries side to progress to the Scottish Cup
Final this year (C’mon Queens you can do it) when they beat the
Dundee Tigers by six goals to three (twelve-six on aggregate) at
Dundee Ice Arena on Sunday evening. The Scottish Cup Final will
be held at the Fife Ice Arena, Kirkcaldy on Saturday April the
26th and the Sharks will meet the Dundee Texol Stars
who disposed of the Scottish Under 20’s side the Warriors in
their semi final.
From the opening face off the Tigers made
strenuous efforts to reduce the aggregate deficit and the Sharks
knew they were in for a real contest when Grant Reekie opened
the scoring for the home side after being set up by the
enterprising Paul Gulcher in the ninth minute. When the same
pairing combined to reduce the overall score to six-five on the
fifteen minute mark Solway really had their backs to the wall
but Kevin Conway set up Mark Gallagher to give the Sharks a
little breathing space as the first interval approached.
Just on the mid-way point in the match the Tigers
again reduced the overall deficit to one when Reekie and
McFarlane combined to set up Gulcher in front of goal. The
Sharks were struggling to find their rhythm as the Taysiders
gave everything they had to try to find the leveller, however,
it was the Sharks who again grabbed a lifeline in the closing
moments of the period when Bari McKenzie found Kevin Conway and
the Sharks had a two goal cushion once more.
 Unfortunately for the home side, and handily for
the Sharks, Dundee began to tire in the final session and Solway
were finally able to begin to play the hockey that they are
capable of. In the forty-fifth minute Bari McKenzie scored a
fine solo effort and as the Tigers threw men forward the Sharks
began to pick them off. Seven minutes from the end John Downes
picked up a loose puck in the Dundee “D” and scored with a fine
shot. Twelve seconds later Mark Gallagher and Bari McKenzie
combined to set up Robbie Brown for his first senior Sharks goal
and the scoring was completed four minutes from the end when
Fraser Goldie and Kevin Conway set up the captain Mark
Gallagher.
Scoring statistics for the Sharks on the night
were as follows; Mark Gallagher two goals and one assist, Kevin
Conway and Bari McKenzie both 1+2, Robbie Brown and John Downes
both 1+0, Fraser Goldie 0+1. Dewar Anderson in the Sharks goal
saved seventeen of the twenty shots that he faced for a save
percentage of 85.00% and was awarded the Man of the Match for
the Sharks.
The views and statistics in this
report are individual and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of the Solway Sharks.
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