Bees stung twice by Tigers
BRACKNELL BEES’ struggling cup exploits continued with double defeat to Telford Tigers.
Bees were edged out 2-1 in overtime at The Hive on Saturday night before a 4-3 reverse up in Telford on Sunday to leave them bottom of their group at the halfway mark.
Soldiers from the army training centre in Pirbright, Surrey, were in attendance on Saturday to mark Armistice Day ahead of the game as both clubs paid tribute to those who lost their lives in conflict.
While it was a frantic contest on the ice, neither side could find a breakthrough during the first period.
The majority of shots were fired straight at netminders Alex Mettam and Denis Bell with Bracknell’s best opportunity arrived when Danny Ingoldsby burst through and teed up Jared Lane, but his effort was saved.
The deadlock was finally broken on 33 minutes when a Jan Bendik slapshot was turned in by forward Shaun Thompson.
Telford almost levelled up when
Adam Taylor’s effort beat Mettam, but came back off the post.
Bees were edging the contest in the third, but Tigers found a way through to force the extra period when captain Jason Silverthorn turned in.
A spell of Bracknell pressure came and went after the restart before Silverthorn set up Rick Plant to fire in the winner.
Bees made the long reverse trip on Sunday, still without player/coach Scott Spearing as well as star men Thompson and Frankie Bakrlik.
And the home side moved into a
2-0 lead by the end of the first stanza through goals from Joe Miller and Dale White.
That advantage quickly turned into 3-0 a minute into the second when Adam Taylor found a way past Mettam.
But Bees rallied, getting themselves right back into the contest going into the third period.
Alex Barker turned in a hopeful Bendik strike before Steve Osman pulled the score back to 3-2 with an easy finish at the back post.
Silverthorn restored a two-goal cushion, but Bees were handed a lifeline on 46 minutes when Telford were penalised for delaying the game.
Bendik netted to bring Bees to within one goal, but the hosts held on for the final 10 minutes.
Bracknell now switch focus back to the league with a trip to Invicta Dynamos on Saturday before hosting leaders Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday (both 6pm).