ALTRINCHAM ACES 12-2 BRADFORD BULLDOGS 5 JANUARY 2003

Aces' first game of 2003 saw them missing just Steve Michie.

Bradford had turned up in numbers and were in an immediate powerplay as Tim Dempsey received a minor for leaving the anthem line too soon. Phil Verstappen made the first save of the game to deny the Bulldogs before Aces took the lead. Billy Price's pass from the side reached Jason Hewitt in space in front of goal to slot home. Goal 2 was created by Brian Worrall speeding down the right wing and Arran Richardson applied the final touch. Jason scored from in front, drilling it through the goalie before showing the speed of his new skates (thanks to Louise) in skating through and shooting into the top corner. Greg Allen got the fifth and final Aces goal of the period, getting the puck behind the net and putting it in whilst the Bradford goalie was looking the other way.

Aces' sixth was a Stephen Elliott shot/cross shot from the side that went in off the keeper before we lost Billy for butt ending. Billy had been having a tussle with a Bradford defenceman in front of the net for some time under Referee Gibson's nose but Billy must have tired of waiting for the penalty and retaliated. With the Aces shorthanded for five minutes, they were to score three shorthanded efforts. Jason made more good use of those new skates, latching onto a through pass and putting the puck in high despite the goalie getting a piece of it. The Hewitt show continued with a backhand tip in of a Simon Mills shot. We then had a candidate for goal of the season. Phil sent an 'inch perfect' pass to Russ Richardson who set off down the rink, beat the winger with a rebound off the boards and sailed down the wing, couldn't find anyone to pass to so skated in and beat the goalie. The tenth goal was converted by Greg in front before Danny Higgin (now in the Aces net) got in on the assist act. Danny had to skate out to stop a Bradford break and his pass down the ice set up a move that saw Arran convert Brian's pass from the side. Despite the score, Bradford had done well and showed improvement for the future and they opened their account with two goals in the last minute of the period. Shaun Dickinson scored from the side after Danny had made the first save and then Luke Boothroyd converted a breakaway chance.

Bradford held Aces at bay in the final period with young goalie, Thomas Chamberlain, stopping virtually everything that was thrown at him. Kevin Cassidy hit the bar with a shot and just when it looked like we wouldn't score in the period, Steve Daly netted a wrap around.

Altrincham 1 Yorkshire 0, here's looking forward to 2-0.

1-0 03.49 Hewitt from Price and Cassidy PPG
2-0 05.52 A Richardson from Worrall and Dempsey
3-0 08.07 Hewitt from Price
4-0 08.26 Hewitt from Cassidy
5-0 17.46 Allen from Hewitt and Price
6-0 22.54 Elliott
7-0 26.48 Hewitt from A Richardson SHG
8-0 27.02 Hewitt from Mills SHG
9-0 29.25 R Richardson from Verstappen SHG
10-0 33.40 Allen from Hewitt and Dempsey
11-0 35.36 A Richardson from Worrall and Higgin
11-1 39.02 Dickinson from Boothroyd and Brown
11-2 39.54 Boothroyd
12-2 58.16 Daly

ACES

Tim Dempsey 0+2, Greg Allen 2+0, Russ Richardson 1+0, Phil Keelan,
Brian Worrall 0+2, Nick Crawley, Jason Hewitt 5+2, Simon Mills 0+1, Arran Richardson 2+1,
Stephen Elliott 1+0, Luke Stretton, Steve Daly 1+0, Kevin Cassidy 0+2, Billy Price 0+3
Phil Verstappen (29m 25s, 7s, 0g, 100%, 0+1), Danny Higgin (30m 35s, 8s, 2g, 75%, 0+1)

SOG 78-15 PIMS 33-8