Courtenay Brace Lifts Phoenix (From This Is Lancashire)

Courtenay Brace Lifts Phoenix

8:21pm Friday 29th January 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share

AN Ed Courtenay double proved to be decisive as Manchester Phoenix edged a 4-3 victory over Sheffield Scimitars on Thursday.

The 42-year-old veteran pushed his tally to 40 as he fired his side back into English Premier League contention.

But he should have had a handful more – as should his teammates – as Phoenix came up against a white hot Ben Bowns in the Scims' goal.

As is customary Manchester, who were missing Andre Payette through suspension and the injured Ryan Johnson, were poor in the opening period and found themselves behind after just 88 seconds; James Archer taking advantage of poor marking to ghost in at the back.

Courtenay showed great stickwork to level on 15 minutes before Phoenix upped their workrate and got on top of their opponents.

That paid off in the second period as following a number of near misses and clear cut chances Courtenay scored again.

Steven Wallace's goal against his former club early in the third made it 3-1. then Tony Hand blasted his side's fourth from an acute angle.

That should have put the game safe but the Scims pulled two goals back – the latter a real gem from Peter Slamiar from the right hand side – to pile on the pressure.

Yet Phoenix toughed it out and denied the visitors the chance of pulling their goalie in the last minute by keeping them penned in their own zone.

“We should have possibly had a bigger margin of victory given we outshot them 38-22,” Hand said after the game, “but credit to their goalie, he made some good saves to keep things tight. It was a good overall performance.”

Hand also revealed that Johnson is likely to miss up to three weeks having picked up an ankle injury that needs rest.

The win gave Manchester their second in a row and now they must continue to build momentum starting at Guildford on Saturday (6pm) before travelling to Bracknell a day later (6pm).

• Print
• Email
• Share