Peterborough Phantoms are surely out of the title race after stunning winning streak comes to an end

The city club had reeled off 11 consecutive victories – nine of them in the league – before being pipped 6-4 at table-toppers Telford on Saturday (February 29).

And that Shropshire setback was followed by another road reverse last night (March 1) as Phantoms went down 7-5 at lowly Bracknell.

The Saturday clash was certainly the most significant in terms of the title race with Telford and Phantoms serving up a fine spectacle.

Ollie Lord provided an early opener for the Tigers before Petr Stepanek restored parity later in the opening period.

Glenn Billing then fired Phantoms into a brief advantage in the second session only for Brandon Whistle to reply within 90 seconds.

The same Telford player struck again as a ding-dong duel continued but it was then Phantoms’ turn to hit back almost immediately through one-time Tigers man Corey McEwen as he tipped in a Joe Hazeldine shot.

The scoring in a hectic period wasn’t done there as import Domink Florian gave the hosts the edge again – and this time it lasted for a full 13 minutes!

A Billing bullet brought Phantoms back onto terms in the final period, but the game was eventually settled by Telford captain Jason Silverthorn.

He put the home side back on top before sealing the points with an empty-net strike late on after Phantoms had sacrificed goaltender Jordan Marr in favour of an extra skater.

Marr had a night off on Sunday when back-up goalie Ryan Bainborough was given the nod against Bracknell.

But it turned out to be a tough night for him and his team-mates despite a hat-trick from Martins Susters.

Josh Ealey-Newman made an early powerplay count for the Bees before Susters opened his account to level.

Aidan Doughty restored the Bracknell lead in the final minute of the opening stanza and the hosts then helped themselves to three unanswered goals – a brace from Dominik Gabaj sandwiching another Ealey-Newman effort – in the second period.

Susters hit back on a powerplay early in the final session only for Joe Baird to respond for Bracknell with the first of five goals in the closing 11 minutes.

Nathan Pollard was next to light the lamp for Phantoms before Josh Smith followed suit at the other end.

Susters then completed his treble after Bainborough had been pulled and player-coach Tom Norton added another to the Phantoms’ tally, but it was too little, too late.

The weekend losses left Phantoms 10 points off the pace being set by Saturday conquerors Telford with only six regular-season games to go.

They remain in third place ahead of a home clash with Hull this Saturday (March 7, 7pm) before heading to Raiders on Sunday (March 8, 5.15pm).

But Phantoms turn their attention to another clash with Telford before then as they host the Tigers in the first leg of the NIHL National Cup final at Planet Ice on Friday (March 6, 7.30pm).

The two teams then meet again next Wednesday – March 11 – in the second leg.

SATURDAY MATCH DETAILS

Goals

TELFORD

5.35 Lord ass: Whistle/McKenzie

23.54 Whistle ass: Oliver

31.40 Whistle unassisted

34.19 Florian ass: Whistle/Goodison

49.43 Silverthorn ass: Plant/Goodison

59.32 Silverthorn ass: Plant/Whistle

PHANTOMS

14.50 Stepanek ass: McEwen/Susters

22.29 Billing ass: J. Ferrara

32.27 McEwen ass: Norton/Hazeldine

47.41 Billing ass: J. Ferrara/Robson

Men-of-the-match

TELFORD – Brandon Whistle

PHANTOMS – Glenn Billing

SUNDAY MATCH DETAILS

Goals

BRACKNELL

5.16 Ealey-Newman ass: Gabaj/Knaggs

19.24 Doughty ass: Gabaj/Smith

29.10 Gabaj ass: Z. Milton

29.32 Ealey-Newman ass: Gabaj/Knaggs

33.33 Gabaj unassisted

49.51 J. Baird ass: Malinik/Mogg

52.53 Smith ass: Malinik

PHANTOMS

16.53 Susters ass: McEwen/Stepanek

43.13 Susters (PP) ass: McEwen/Stepanek

50.46 N. Pollard ass: O’Flaherty/C. Pollard

57.37 Susters ass: McEwen/Weldon

58.36 Norton ass: Stepanek/Susters

Men-of-the-match

BRACKNELL – Domink Gabaj

PHANTOMS – Martins Susters