NEVER SAY DIE
Battling Pirates rally with a late equaliser
David Campbell A plucky performance from the Pirates enabled them to snatch a point in a match which saw them trailing at different junctures.
Martyn Guy scored a final equaliser with only three minutes left.
The visitors were stunned as Kestrels came out firing on all cylinders. They were two ahead with less than 80 seconds on the clock as first Garry Simpson, then Gregor Smith, beat Graeme Meechan to put their side ahead with the game barely underway.
Back came Pirates, however, and Ben Walker put the visitors on the board before the halfway point in the period.
The visitors were unable to get a game- tying goal and the period finished with the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Kestrels restored their twogoal advantage after 28 minutes when they caught Pirates on the break with a short-handed goal, converted by Martin Simpson.
But just after the halfway point in the period, Ryan Sarginson hauled the Pirates back into the game.
But with just under a minute of the period remaining, Meechan was beaten for a fourth time by Jay Duncan, enabling the hosts to go into the second break nursing a handy 4-2 advantage.
The Pirates came out looking for an early goal, and got two in the first three minutes.
Sarginson completed his double with only a minute gone, then two minutes later the scores were level for the first time since the opening exchanges in the match as Connor Spiers tied the match at 4-4.
Kestrels responded within a minute through Smith to restore their narrow advantage. But Pirates weren’t done yet and with three minutes left, Martyn Guy beat Jackson for the final goal of the night to end an entertaining game at 5-5.
Pirates were a much improved side following their recent dismal showing against Dundee Comets.
They now look forward to two road trips this weekend, making the journey to Ardrossan on Saturday to take on North Ayrshire Wild, having fought out two 4-4 draws with them already this year.
On Sunday, they take the road to Tayside to face up against the Dundee Tigers.