Milton Keynes Storm Under 16s (Division 1)

 Result:              3^rd February 2008. MK Storm 3 v Cardiff Dragons 0

(1-0, 0-0, 2-0)

 

Milton Keynes moved back into league title contention with a below-par victory against bottom club Cardiff , who still remain without a point after ten matches.

 

Early skirmishes suggested a wide margin of victory, with MK constantly threatening the Cardiff net in attack. When the visitors tried to break loose, the MK defence looked rock solid, with one mighty Mitch Starkey check particularly memorable. Nonetheless Cardiff remained dogged in defence, until Josh Nicklin and Glen Trivett teamed up with a quick passing move around the visiting net, which Nicklin (11:28) finished powerfully in front.

MK clearly expected Cardiff resistance to crumble in the second period, as the visitors have shipped goals during every fixture so far this season. But Cardiff showed no signs of surrender, and MK barely put two successive passes together as they laboured to extend their slim lead.

In the final period MK finally put the match beyond Cardiff with one of their few flowing moves. On the power play Ross Green, Jacob Heron, Glen Trivett and Josh Nicklin fired off a series of incisive passes that split open the visiting defence for Nicklin (33:18) to administer the coup de grace. It proved possibly the only bright moment of the match, and although Harry Bowers (42:45) found the back of the net with a shot from the blue line late in the match, it left MK little to celebrate.

Nonetheless a win is a win, and MK still have their league title ambitions in their own hands. This weekend they face a crucial fixture away to Romford, which may well decide the fate of both clubs title pretentions.              

 

 

MoM   Josh Nicklin    SoG Ross Tippett

Josh Nicklin 2+0; Harry Bowers 1+0; Ross Green 0+1; Jacob Heron 0+1; Glen Trivett 0+1

Shots: MK 42 Cardiff 11 (MK N/M: Jake Scriven 11/0 Shut out

 

Penalties: MK 24        Cardiff 38