Re: British League Results and Tables (29-Nov-2003)

And for those interested:

Challenge Match
Manchester Phoenix 4 Newcastle Vipers 4
(Played at Deeside)


You could tell it was a challenge match - only two penalties called all game
and I think those were just so the ref could use his whistle. Newcastle
opened brightly with a goal after just over a minute despite missing the
initial warm-up as their bus had been bricked on the way down, meaning they
only arrived 25 minutes before faceoff. (I don't have the programme handy so
don't know who scored what). Newcastle extended their lead to two before
Manchester took it two 3-2 after a much brighter second period. Most of the
action came in the third, with a pretty even period and certainly more
exciting than the first two, Newcastle edging this one 2-1 after having won
the first 2-0 to give a final score of 4 apiece.

Can't remember the Manchester MOM, but Jonboy Weaver won it for Newcastle.
As with the other challenge match against Hull at Deeside, Manchester were
embarrassed by far superior puck handling skills from what is supposedly a
team doing worse in a lower league, although they had certainly improved a
lot since that first game. Considering Newcastle's fraught journey down and
the fact they only iced 13 skaters it has to be said that they gave the
impression of being slightly the better team. It is promising that the two
leagues seem to be so close as hopefully when they are merged next season it
will be a fairly simple process.