SHARKS OVERCOME DETERMINED SEAGULLS
Last Saturday the Solway Sharks, sponsored by Magnox Ltd, travelled down to Planet Ice in Cleveleys, just north of Blackpool, and returned victorious after a hard-fought eleven-three victory over fellow new boys the Fylde Flyers. A victory that leaves Solway just four wins from the English National League North Division Two Championship and automatic promotion.

Initially the Sharks struggled to find their normal flowing form on the extremely small ice pad, just thirty-six by twenty-two metres, a little less than two thirds the size of the Shark Tank. A show of intent was made after fifteen seconds when netminder Gary Russell fired a shot up the ice at the opposition goal from his own crease. Although easily saved by the Fylde goalie this was an occurrence which would happen a further thee times in the first period and bring a greater reward in the second. After the initial skirmishes were over Solway took the lead in the third minute when Nathan Salem was on hand to net from close range after Gilmartin could only parry a Struan Tonnar shot. While they maintained the greater share of possession the Sharks failed to press home their early advantage and Fylde gradually came more into the game with the combination of Veldze and Caunce always looking dangerous in attack. On the home sides first powerplay of the game in the seventh minute big Elvis (Veldze) showed good pace and neat stick-work to take himself past two Solway defenders before firing in a rasping slapshot which Russell did well to save with his glove. Three minutes later the big import was again on song as a strong, surging attack brought him into the slot but this time his well-placed shot found the net to bring the home side back to level terms.

At this point the Flyers were using their knowledge of home ice to good advantage as the visitors searched for the best way to play their normal attacking game on the small ice pad. They did find an answer three minutes from the first interval. Good work behind the Fylde goal from debutant Callum Boyd allowed him the opportunity to find Adam Reynolds unmarked in the slot and the Solway marksman duly fired home. The Sharks lead, however, was to be short-lived as with in a minute the Flyers were back on level terms. Veldze was again the danger man as a strong skate up the right saw him bearing down on goal. But as the crowd held its breath in expectation of another blistering slapshot the big forward unselfishly slid a pass square for Kurtis Hall to score from close range. While both sides had opportunities to break the deadlock before the break the buzzer sounded with the scores tied at two.

After the interval the Sharks picked up the pace and gradually began to find their feet on the unfamiliar rink, although the dogged persistence of the home side never let them settle completely. Three minutes into the second session a swift break up the left by Adam Reynolds and Mark Gallagher saw the former flash a pass across the face of the Flyers goal where it was neatly redirected into the net by Calum Henderson. On the twenty-eight minute mark Reynolds won a face-off to the right of the Fylde goal and the puck found its way back to Frazer Goldie at point who immediately fired in a powerful slapshot to make it four-two Sharks. Even with a two goal advantage Solway were not home and dry as the home side continually posed a threat and a goal for Fylde at this point would raise their self belief and possibly put some questions into the Sharks players minds. In the thirty-seventh minute the Dumfries side got the cushion they desired although it came in a most bizarre fashion. Netminder Gary Russell once more fired a shot up the ice and this time it rebounded from the back boards behind the Flyers goal. In an attempt to clear his lines a home defenceman sliced the puck and unfortunately for him it rebounded into the Fylde goal from the keepers skates, the goal being awarded to the last attacking player to touch the puck, Gary Russell. This misfortune seemed to unsettle Gilmartin as a little over a minute later he allowed a tame Struan Tonnar shot to slip between his pads on a Sharks powerplay to give Solway a four goal cushion at the second intermission.

In the final session Solway competently closed out the game and ran in four unanswered goals at regular intervals although to their credit, Fylde never gave up the fight and scored a merited consolation goal themselves. With six minutes gone in the final period Anthony Charters blotted his copybook when he was given a five plus match penalty for an unnecessary check to the head. However, as the home side pressed on the powerplay Nathan Salem broke up the right wing and cut his pass back for Stevie Adams to score from close range short-handed. As the clock approached the fifty minute mark Connor McCallum picked up a loose puck on the Fylde blueline and a neat piece of stick-work took him past two defenders before he unleashed a crisp wrist-shot which found the top right-hand corner of the Flyers net. Ninety-seconds later two new boys combined when Callum Boyd picked up a pass from Dayle Keen in the neutral zone and his speed and agility took him past his marker and gave him the opportunity to fire home the Sharks ninth goal.

Fylde changed netminders at this point with Hayes replacing Gilmartin between the pipes but the new goalie barely had time to draw breath before Adam Reynolds picked up a Mark Gallagher pass on the goal-line and fired home via the back of the keepers’ pads. Three minutes from time Fylde brought their colourful support to their feet with a well-earned consolation goal. Veldze again broke up the left wing before firing a pass across the face of goal that Bobby Caunce did well to redirect over Russell from close range. Not to be upstaged the Sharks went back onto the offensive and within a minute Nathan Salem converted an Aaron Greger pass to ensure he both opened and closed the scoring making the final score eleven-three to Solway. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the extremely rare sight of a netminder, Gary Russell, scoring from open play but consideration should also be given to the contribution from the four debutants and the fact that this is now the thirteenth time in nineteen league games that the Sharks have scored double figures.