June 2005 Dragons At Grimsby Match Report

DURHAM ARE BACK
The Durham Dragons travelled to Grimsby on Saturday 28th May, for their first match in over a year. The game started at a fast pace with numerous chances created at both ends on this very compact ice pad. Dragons were denied due to some marvellous goaltending from Grimsby, and the hosts took the lead on 13 minutes. Dragons netminder Ronnie Roundhead left the ice with a groin injury and Paul Fowler was quickly beaten, to see the first period end 2-0.
The second period saw the Dragons create more chances and they got on the board on 22mins when Mick Vasey pounced to slide the puck home. Lightning went further ahead with a powerplay goal and with the momentum going their way, increased the lead to 4-1 ahead soon after. Kevin Watson got the Dragons back in the game with a blistering slapshot from the blue line on 32mins but Grimsby re-established their 3-goal cushion two minutes later. Andrew Snook then scored a lovely solo goal, beating two defencemen before putting the goaltender down and shooting high into the open net to leave the score at 5-3 at the end of the second session.
There were some harsh words said in the Dragons dressing room in the interval, and they came out with all guns blazing in the third. Debutant Gary Walker scored his first Dragons goal on 45mins but the Lightning struck back within seconds. At 6-4 down Durham moved up another gear and Andrew Shaw deflected a shot home at 48mins. Stephen Hagar scored the equalising goal on the powerplay on 55mins after some slick passing. Both teams searched for the winning goal, and the Dragons thought they had it on 59.34 only to see Mark McKie’s effort disallowed for a dubious off side. The Dragons weren’t to be beaten, and on 59.59 Mick Vasey hit the winning goal, in close he picked the five hole and the Dragons left victorious. The team then celebrated the bank holiday weekend victory in nearby Cleethorpes before boarding the bus home.
DRAGONS SCORERS: Hagar 1+2, Vasey 2+0, Walker 1+1, Shaw, A.Snook, Watson 1+0, Franks, M.McKie, B.Snook 0+1.