Derby day win for Peterborough Phantoms who move up to third

The city men saw off struggling rivals Milton Keynes Lightning 4-2 following a hard-hitting clash in Buckinghamshire.

Neither side could manage a breakthrough in an end-to-end opening period, but Phantoms soon took control in the second session.

Leading scorer Petr Stepanek unleashed an unstoppable shot past netminder Dean Skinns to break the deadlock in the opening minute of the stanza before captain James Ferrara rifled in a second goal.

And when Stepanek struck again on a powerplay in the final period the points looked to be in the bag, but the lowly Lightning weren’t about to wave the white flag.

Import Ari Narhi launched a late fightback which gathered momentum when Grant McPherson also struck.

But Lightning then conceded a penalty which allowed Phantoms to re-assert in the dying moments as Martins Susters struck a clincher.

The victory lifted Phantoms into third place in the NIHL National Division standings ahead of a home clash against Sheffield tonight (November 24, 5.30pm).

The city club’s away clash against bottom side Leeds Chiefs on Saturday, December 7 will now take place in Bretton.

The construction of the Chiefs’ rink has fallen several months behind schedule.

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

MILTON KEYNES

53.37 Narhi ass: Griffin

57.45 McPherson ass: Griffin

PHANTOMS

20.53 Stepanek unassisted

32.37 J. Ferrara ass: Padelek

46.52 Stepanek (PP) ass: C. Pollard/Buglass

59.28 Susters (PP) ass: McEwen/Stepanek

Men-of-the-match

MILTON KEYNES – Rio Grinnell-Parke

PHANTOMS – Jordan Marr