Ten out of ten for Phantoms as Sheffield’s fine run of form is ended

Phantoms completed a perfect 10 last Saturday – as they triumphed in a clash of the form teams in the National League.

Slava Koulikov’s men had reeled off nine consecutive victories ahead of their visit to iceSheffield to face a Sheffield Steeldogs side who had won five games in a row themselves.

A stern test was on the cards, but it was one Phantoms passed with flying colours to continue their fine run while halting the hosts’ progress.

“Sheffield went into the game in a great run of their own so we knew it was going to be a tough night,” said Phantoms head coach Koulikov.

“But we produced a really solid performance on the road and controlled the game really well.

SHEFFIELD

29.13 Spurr ass: Luka/Bell

PHANTOMS

19.20 Susters ass: Stepanek/Weldon 24.04 Susters (PP) ass: C. Pollard/ Stepanek

25.52 Weldon ass: C. Pollard/N. Pollard 46.40 Norton ass: Billing/J. Ferrara

SHEFFIELD Reece Cochrane

PHANTOMS Martins Susters

“We gave very little away and scored goals when we needed them to make sure we left with the two valuable points.

“It was a performance full of discipline and again showed what we are about.”

Martins Susters provided the breakthrough with a classy finish in the final minute of the opening period and the same player then doubled the advantage early in the second period.

Susters tipped in a powerplay blast from Conor Pollard and that was followed by a third Phantoms goal less than two minutes later as Will Weldon pounced in a scramble.

Steeldogs cut their arrears when former Phantoms man James Spurr struck just before the mid-point of the contest, but they could make no further inroads.

And Phantoms’ 10th successive win was wrapped up by player-coach Tom Norton in the final period.

Phantoms will clearly be a team to avoid in the end-ofseason play-offs.