|
Milton Keynes Storm Under 18s (Division 2)
Result: 15th March 2008.
Oxford City Stars 1 v MK Storm 8
(1-4, 0-1, 0-3)
Milton Keynes cruised to victory with a dynamic team performance against one of the stronger sides in this league, and booked themselves a promotion play-off spot in reward.
Milton Keynes made their intentions clear from the first face-off, and
Oxford struggled to contain their fast passing style. When Josh Nicklin roared down the right flank, his sharp pass found Glen Trivett in front, and Harrison Goode (01:02) finished the move on the rebound. From the resulting face-off, MK surged further ahead with a move almost identical to the first goal, but this time Martin Snape on the wing feeding Jamie Cox (01:45) in front of goal.
Oxford pulled a goal back against the run of play (04:51), but MK never faltered. Jamie Cox benefited from some poor
Oxford possession, tore up the ice, and although his shot hit the post, Martin Snape (08:54) was quickly on hand to finish. MK completed a highly satisfactory first period with an excellent goal from Jacob Heron (12:09), completing a fine spell of passing and possession between him, Snape and Cox.
With the match all but won, MK struggled to reach the quality of their first period performance, with a tenacious goal from Nick Winn (21:32) their only addition to the score. Nonetheless their defence looked so solid, with Harry Bowers and Mitch Starkey both in imperious form, that
Oxford rarely looking likely to pull the match around.
The final period produced a far more polished MK performance, with all lines increasing their workrate and stretching the
Oxford defence to breaking point. Trivett (41:49) started the scoring with a classy finish in front of goal from Josh Burgess, and moments later Nicklin (44:37) smartly finished a pinpoint pass from Trivett. MK continued to press but the hosts never surrendered, and it took a sparkling end-to-end passing move between Harrison Goode and Trivett (59:29), which the latter finished neatly to complete the rout.
With only one match remaining in the regular season, MK have finally booked themselves a play-off spot, and their hopes of promotion seem finally within reach. If they continue in the same positive frame of mind as this excellent victory, it will take a classy side indeed to halt them.
MoM Jake Scriven
Shots: MK 51
Oxford 24 (MK N/M Jake Scriven 24/1 95.83%)
Stats:
Glenn Trivett 2+1; Jamie Cox 1+2; Martyn Snape 1+2; Harrison Goode 1+1; Jacob Heron 1+1; Josh Nicklin 1+1; Nick Winn 1+0; Josh Burgess 0+1; Connor Goode 0+1
| 
