Match Report: Ian Dibley
On Saturday Stars travelled to Gosport to play the Solent Devils, without the majority of the Oxford Rising Stars players, who had a game at Peterborough and still without a long list of injured players.
The Stars started brightly and were able to hold off the Devils, with Ross Miller able to backstop the effort. On about the 12th minute, the hosts took the lead, when Liam Coleman finished off good work from Cain Russell and Alex Murray. Within 40 seconds the score was 2-0 when Charlie Wedge scored with former Stars player Travis Penny picking up his first assist of the season. It was not to be his last! Oliver Cackett made it 3-0 within 2 minutes of the first goal.
The second period and a slow start by Stars cost them the 4th goal as Ryan Sutton netted 12 seconds after the start of the period. Cackett added his second for his teams fifth. Former Stars player Tom Banner netted with assist going to Penny. Cameron Buckle added the seventh. At the midway point to the period, Stars started to show some fight, literally as Sam Robinson and Devils Wedge both attracted the referee’s attention for a 5-minute penalty each for fighting. Stars then scored, what was to be their only return when the hard-working Mario Chiru netted. Conor Hutchinson added the home sides 8th goal before the buzzer sounded.
Stars changed netminder for the 3rd period with Morgan Parsons, replacing Miller and gaining some invaluable experience. Wedge score his second goal of the game early in the period. The home side were able to rotate their bench strength, giving their younger players, valuable ice time, and it was Wedge who assisted Jack Hoppes to take the home sides goal tally to double figures. There was still time for him to pick up his hat trick goal as he rounded the scoring out in the final minute of the game.
Onto Sunday and home ice, saw the squad reinforcements arrive in the form of several Oxford Rising Stars players, as Romford Buccaneers came to Oxpens Road. Looking to avenge the earlier season meeting in Essex, Stars started well and took the lead just before the 5-minute mark. Jake Williams receiving a nice pass, on the right side, from Alex Tydings. The lead was last only 3 minutes as Joe Covey, sat a 2-minute penalty for cross checking, the veteran Juraj Huska fired home from the point. Stars had 2 further power plays in the period but failed to capitalise and it was on the last of these that Huska netted his 2nd of the game, with 20 seconds remaining on the period.
Stars started the period with Tydings and Sam Robinson working hard on the forecheck, but in the 25th minute, the impressive Donald Campbell scored after good work from Elliot Dervish and Nathan Williams. Most people in the building, including the Romford team, didn’t initially realise that the puck had gone in, but Referee Blaine Evans was in the perfect place to see. The remainder of the period was evenly contested, with both chances denied by some good netminding.
The 3rd period saw the visitors disrupted by a succession of minor penalties. They were able to score a 4th goal in the 48th minute as Tyrone Wells fired home through the defence. This saw Miller berate his defence for their inability to close the chance down. Shortly afterwards Stars were awarded a penalty shot but Jake Williams was unable to convert it, pinging his shot off the outside of the goal post. At 57 minutes, and with a man advantage, as Wells received a 2-minute penalty, Stars coach Mark Saunders withdrew Miller, in favour of the extra out-skater, despite being 3 goals behind. Stars applied pressure but were unable to break the visitors defence down. When Romford returned to full strength, they successfully managed the remainder of the game as Stars efforts failed to reap any rewards.
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