Published: 30/09/2009 00:00 - Updated: 27/01/2010 15:47

Lightning go fourth

ICE HOCKEY
Victory over Romford Raiders and Manchester Phoenix has sent MK Lightning to the top of the league.

Lightning made it four wins on the bounce to go a point clear in the English Premier Ice Hockey League.

But the latest four points were tough to come by for Lightning.

Adam Carr opened the scoring. Pic; Tony Sargent They were made to work for their first win of the weekend when Romford provided a much harder test than expected.

The Romford coach broke down on its way to Milton Keynes which delayed the match, and when it finally got under way it was Lightning who started the better side.

After plenty of pressure Adam Carr finally gave the home side the lead on 16.22, assisted by player-coach Nick Poole.

Lightning then eased off in the second period which allowed the Raiders to pull level through Joe Allen on 28.13 and less than a minute later they had taken the lead.

Darren Cotton found his way through the Lightning defence with Danny Marshall and Frankie Harvey setting up their second goal.

It shocked Lightning back into action as Poole set up Lukas Zatopek for a wonderful equalising strike.

Fittingly it was man of the match Grant McPherson who won the game on 49.53.

Lightning made sure they finished their chances when they travelled to the league’s new boys Manchester Phoenix on Sunday.

Goals from Carr and Ross Bowers gave MK an important 2-0 lead at the end of the first period.

Eventually Manchester hit back on 27.59 with Jaakko Hagelberg’s powerplay goal.

Yet Carr made sure of the two points with his second, and Lightning’s third, of the evening coming on 57.53.

It meant Manchester’s Luke Boothroyd’s goal 54 seconds from time went down as a consolation.

LIGHTNING host Bracknell Bees on Saturday, face-off 7pm, and on Sunday they travel to local rivals Peterborough Phantoms. Face-off 5.30pm.
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