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Dumfries champions 2007

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Grimsby Lightning – Biggest Strike to Date

The Grimsby Lightning made their annual trip North of the border to take part in the Dumfries Demons Spring Tournament, held at the Dumfries Ice Bowl. This was the strongest line-up the team have taken to date, bolstered with a mixture of youth and experience. Team expectations were high and held an air of restrained confidence that progress beyond the preliminaries was achievable.

Grimsby’s first game got off to a flyer on Saturday with a goal in the opening minute M.Gray from J.Belt against Edinburgh Knights, after which things went rapidly downhill the Knights took full advantage and took the game 8-2.

This provided the wake up call the team needed and despite the downbeat mood, Lightning adjusted their lines and established the plan for the second game against the Newcastle Coyotes.

James Fitzgerald took up the netminding duties in his first competitive game for Lightning, keeping his goal intact as the team turned in a much-improved performance, taking a 5-0 win.

Paisley Buccaneers were the first Scottish opposition. The same lines and game plan returned a comprehensive 9-2 victory previous Tournament Winners the Kingston Cobras. Lightning took the game to them and for the first ten minutes, camped in the Kingston zone, notching three goals for their labours. Cobras pulled two goals back, but a fourth for Grimsby sealed an important, and very satisfying, 4-2 victory.

Dumfries Demons were next. Albert Wardle took up the keepers’ duty for this one, returning a well deserved shut-out as Lighting prevailed 3-0. The last game of the preliminaries,saw Grimsby face the impressive Ayr Jets, Ayr covered the ice well and their superior puck control and movement yielded a 2-0 victory.

The stats were collated and Grimsby, Dumfries, Ayr and Edinburgh would contest the Semi-finals. Dumfries and Ayr contested the first semi. when the hosts ran out 3-1 winners. All that stood between Grimsby and the final, were the Edinburgh Knights, who had comprehensively outgunned Lightning in the opening game.

Undeterred and resolute this time, the Lightning more than held their own. Two thirds of the way through the game, Matt Street boomed a slap shot over the keeper’s glove a place in the final was confirmed in the closing minutes as Jamie Wardle, crashed in the second from the underside of the crossbar.

So, the final was established. They only had a 15 minute break while the ice was resurfaced before the final faced off, whereas Dumfries had 40 minutes to rest and prepare themselves.

The whole tournament is played under Scottish Recreational rules, which is strictly non-contact. Grimsby began to take penalties and it has to be said that the local Officials seemed to have an inconsistent interpretation dependent on which team had committed the alleged offence. However, Grimsby took a deserved lead in the 21st minute as the irrepressible Jamie Wardle snapped the puck past the Hosts’ netminder.

For the last four minutes the Demons piled on the pressure, which resulted in some desperate defending around a very busy Grimsby goal. Albert Wardle, in the Grimsby net, defied his years, almost standing on his head to make some outstanding saves to deny the hosts. Fatigue led to further penalties for Lightning and with two men in the penalty box going into the last minute, Demons removed their netminder to put a sixth skater on the ice. With a six on three situation, Dumfries were all guns blazing in an attempt to find the equalising goal.

 At the final buzzer, a relieved and very weary Grimsby team skated to the netminders crease for the customary celebration scrum.

Everyone in the squad made their contribution to what is without doubt, the team’s biggest success to date. It seems particularly fitting that team co-founder and net minder, Albert Wardle, registered 3 shut-outs throughout the tournament. Seventy-Five minutes of play without conceding is a rare occurrence in ice hockey.

The squad were presented with individual winners medals and Ian Reynolds (Captain) accepted the Dumfries Spring Challenge Cup on behalf of the victorious Grimsby Lightning.