6:00am Monday 25th January 2010
By Ned Payne
NEW netminder Chris Douglas enjoyed a dream return to Wildcats as his man of the match performance helped Swindon to a crucial penalty shots success over Peterborough Phantoms.
The 30-year-old, brought back to the Link Centre after Geoff Woolhouse was given two weeks’ notice last week, saved nearly 97 per cent of the shots fired on his net during the game.
He capped a superb performance by denying Peterborough a single goal in the shootout after the contest ended 3-3, and was subsequently mobbed by every one of his teammates.
Minutes prior to that, Aaron Nell sent his penalty into the corner to put Wildcats 1-0 up, and there were no further scorers in the shootout.
Peterborough took the lead at 3.06 when the unmarked Brent Gough flicked into the roof of the net.
The home side were level 18 seconds later when Jason Cassells squared for Nell, who slotted calmly past Stephen Wall.
Gough bagged his second at the start of the second period, when his shot from the point pinged in off the post with Swindon short-handed.
The hosts were in major trouble when James Morgan’s angled drive beat the unsighted Douglas to make it 3-1 at 24.50.
Peterborough’s Maris Ziedins was desperately unlucky to strike the inside of the post before Wildcats started their comeback.
Jozef Kohut robbed an opposing player on the right before centring for Lee Richardson to tuck past Wall.
And at 51.53, Nell forced in at the near post to send the home crowd into raptures.
After overtime ended goal-less, Nell beat Wall in the shootout and Douglas saved from Morgan and Joe Miller before Gough shot wide.
The victory moved Wildcats closer to the all-important eighth league place and qualification for the end of season play-offs.
Bracknell Bees are currently favourites to earn the last play-off place with a game in hand on Swindon but Saturday’s win at the Link Centre saw Wildcats close the gap to just two points.
Cats went down 7-2 in Manchester last night but with Bracknell losing 5-2 at home to Basingstoke, Swindon remain in reach of the Bees
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/trade_directory/