MATCH REPORT: Phantoms are pipped again by the Bison

Ales Padalek scored the Phantoms goal and was voted man-of-the-match.

An NIHL Division One South play-off final defeat - by a single and extremely controversial goal - has been added to a list of close shaves with silverware which also includes missing out on the league title on goal difference and a penalty shoot-out exit from the NIHL Autumn Cup.

Phantoms were again pipped to glory by Basingstoke with a 3-2 aggregate scoreline ensuring the Hampshire side lifted the play-off trophy only three weeks after they also raised aloft the league crown. Bison triumphed 2-1 in the second leg last night (April 1) after the teams had battled out a 1-1 deadlock in the Bretton opener the previous evening.

It again left Slava Koulikov’s men filling the role of bridesmaids while their opponents - an admittedly excellent and effective set of brides - celebrated at the sporting altar.

But the manner in which his side were left to play second fiddle left the Phantoms coach deeply unhappy. Even angry.

The decisive goal - which arrived in the second period of the second leg from Bison man Roman Malinik - provided a huge talking point.

Play was allowed to continue by referee Stephen Matthews and his linesman despite a Bison man being down on the deck in an offside position.

And the timing of that goal could hardly have been worse for Phantoms. It arrived less than two minutes after Ales Padelek had pulled them level both on the night and on aggregate, and during a spell in which they had their hosts under serious pressure.

“They had a guy laying in our zone and the linesman allowed the play to continue and Basingstoke scored,” argued Phantoms chief Koulikov after the game.

“We had just a goal ourselves to get level and we were well on top at that point.

“To lose out on a trophy to an offside goal is tough to take. It was the moment changed everything on a night when every little call then seemed to go against us.

“We had to fight against the league champions and a poor linesman.”

Malinik earlier opened the second-leg scoring just past the mid-point of a largely even opening period.

But Phantoms were undoubtedly the better side in the second session when they levelled through Padelek before Billing was denied by a smart Dean Skinns save seconds later.

Malinik soon had Basingstoke back ahead, but Phantoms continued to apply pressure and create chances with Skinns regularly called into action.

And it was a similar story in the final session as the city side desperately searched for another leveller.

Skinns denied Padelek and Nathan Pollard before holding firm as Nathan Salem crashed the net in the manner which earned him an equaliser in the first leg the previous evening.

But there was no way through for Phantoms on this occasion as they were pipped by the odd goal in two hours of hockey which were every bit as tight and tense as expected.

Even the shot-count over the two legs was almost identical with both teams managing 23 on target attempts last night after Basingstoke managed one more than Phantoms - 28 compared to 27 - in the opening clash.

That statistic further demonstrates the fine margins between success and failure when these sides do battle - hence it is easy to understand Koulikov’s frustration with the Bison winner.

While it could be argued that Phantoms’ presence in the final was fortuitous - given an administration cock-up from rivals Swindon was more responsible for their passage than their own excellence - their two displays once there were certainly worthy of such a significant contest.

That will provide plenty of encouragement ahead of their last trophy tilt of the campaign next weekend when featuring in the NIHL Final Four in Coventry.

Phantoms face NIHL Division One North play-off winners - and old English Premier League rivals - Telford in the opening semi-final at 1pm on Saturday (April 7). Basingstoke meet North runners-up Sheffield later in the day with the two victorious teams meeting in the Sunday (April 8) finale to season.

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

Basingstoke

10:07 Malink ass: Rounding/Scott

32:54 Malinik ass: Petts/Davies

Phantoms

31:20 Padelek ass: Jamieson/Knaggs

Men-of-the-match

Basingstoke - Roman Malinik

Phantoms - Ales Padelek