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Phantoms 6, Wightlink Raiders 1 - Two more wins and the title's in the bag
IT was a case of hunter hunted last night as Phantoms gobbled up the Predators to tighten their grip on the English Premier League title. Nice line but not entirely accurate.
IT was a case of hunter hunted last night as Phantoms gobbled up the Predators to tighten their grip on the English Premier League title. Nice line but not entirely accurate.There is no doubting another emphatic win and a five-point lead at the top of the league.
But it was in fact the woeful Wightlink Raiders who were crushed by Colin Patterson's all-conquering side and not the fearsomely named recreational team whose shirts they were wearing.
Having somehow forgotten to bring theirs with them, the hitherto unidentifiable islanders were forced to borrow a set of uniforms from the amateur side who happily obliged.
So for those not in the know it appeared for all the world as though ET snapper and Predators' netminder Alan Storer was putting in shifts for the visitors rather than the real wearer of 'Storer 76' - Raiders' winger Danny Hughes.
It was under these farcial circumstances that Phantoms found themselves resuming their march towards coronation as kings of the EPL.
But they didn't miss a beat with two goals from Joe Miller and one apiece for Maris Ziedins, Shaun Yardley, James Morgan and Craig Peacock ensuring the bungling bumpkins were badly beaten.
Ice hockey special report:
Peterborough Phantoms: 2009 treble winners
James Westgate relives the Phantoms' all-conquering 2009 season.
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Their ninth win on the trot means Patterson's men stand just two victories away from the tantalising prize of the club's first EPL title in six years.
For the dapper Canadian chap in the cap, however, now is not the time for such momentus musings with games still to be won and hockey to be played.
He said: "We did a good job against a team which has a pretty decent road record and they made it tough for us in the first period.
"But we kept it tight and worked well as a unit and created a lot of chances and had it not been for some decent netminding, we would have had it wrapped up even earlier.
"It is getting tight now and I would not be telling the truth if I said I had not thought about winning the league, but we cannot be distracted by it.
"I do not see Milton Keynes dropping too many points so we just have to keep our foot on the gas.
"If we do that and win our next game, that is maybe the time I might start thinking about it - on Sunday in front of our own fans against Bracknell."
Despite a massive 27 shots at Mike 'Bubble' Brabon in the Raiders' goal during the first period, Phantoms struggled to turn their superioty in something more tangible against opponents who have not troubled them in four previous meetings this season.
In that series Phantoms have scored 27 goals, but after taking an early lead through Miller last night, the home side contrived to miss a hatful of first period chances and only led by just one goal going into the break.
But they were in control despite the lack of early goals.
Dwayne Newman was dishing out some tasty hits while James Hutchinson, Morgan, Andy Munroe et al ensured the rare forays of Joel Petkoff and Juraj Rusic rarely troubled Stephen Wall safely ensconced behind them.
There was a freak setback early into the middle act when Alan Green snaffled a rebound goal but soon all that pressure finally had to come crashing down on Wightlink.
Just two minutes later it did when Ziedins responded with a cracking drive into the top corner before Yardley and Morgan put the game out of sight.
And just for good measure Peacock banged one in with just a second left on the clock after sweeping in from the left and firing home with typical panache.
That 20-minute onslaught meant the game was well and truly over but man-of-the match Miller wasn't done just yet, finding the space to slam home his second of the night.
A 6-1 beating meant Wightlink left Bretton HQ with nothing - not even the shirts on their backs.
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