MATCH REPORT: Phantoms in top spot after thumping Thunder

The city side recorded a third successive victory in the sport’s new second tier when they triumphed 5-2 at Milton Keynes Thunder.

Table-topping Phantoms did briefly trail in the second period before a burst of four goals in eight minutes fired them to their latest success.

They hit the front through a second goal in as many days from James White, but Gareth O’Flaherty had the hosts on level terms before the end of the opening period.

Phantoms then fell behind to a powerplay strike from the same player after collecting a bench penalty for having too many men on the ice.

But they weren’t in arrears for long as they produced a game-changing scoring salvo.

Defenceman Scott Robson, who has never managed more than three goals in a season for Phantoms, struck twice in the space of six-and-a-half minutes with those efforts sandwiching a Will Weldon goal.

And when import Ales Padelek joined the party 81 seconds into the final session, a first four-point weekend of the campaign was in the bag.

The city team sit two points clear at the summit of the early-season standings and should be able to strengthen their position when facing bottom side Cardiff Fire in back-to-back clashes next weekend.

They entertain the promoted side, who have lost all four of their games so far, at Planet Ice on Saturday (September 30) ahead of a return clash at the Ice Arena Wales the following night, October 1.

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

MK Thunder

18:28 O’Flaherty ass: McPherson/Carlon

27:07 O’Flaherty (PP) ass: Mboya

Phantoms

7:40 White ass: Billing

33:28 Robson ass: Padelek/Weldon

35:07 Weldon ass: Padelek/Norton

39:52 Robson ass: Jamieson/Weldon

41:21 Padelek ass: Norton

Men-of-the-match

MK Thunder – Gareth O’Flaherty

Phantoms – Will Weldon