Paisley Pirates 3 Solway Sharks 4
20/9/2003 at Lagoon Leisure Centre
Autumn Cup

Pirates grip on the Autumn Cup looks, at best, precarious after a second narrow home defeat of the season.

Penalties were to play a major part in the evening's proceedings and Pirates set the tone for this early on, Sharks enjoying a 5 on 3 powerplay but fortunately for Pirates they failed to convert. It was Pirates who opened the scoring in the 9th minute when Gary Morris coolly drew netminder Dewar Anderson before firing into the net.

Sharks then survived a Pirates powerplay before they got the equaliser in the 14th minute, corrie Telfer's first effort coming back off the post but Alan Crane was quickest to the rebound and he didn't miss. Two minutes later and Sharks were in front in bizarre fashion Chris Gracie's cross ice pass looked harmless until Roger Monson diverted it past a bemused Damien Orr ad into his own net. The lead lasted a mere 17 seconds before Stuart Miller fired home from close range.

Both sides had further chances to lead at the first break including another Sharks powerplay but without success.

Pirates were quickly back in penalty trouble at the start of the second session but again Sharks couldn't capitalise. Pirates had the puck in the net at the midway point of the period but it was ruled out as referee Alan Craig had spotted an incident in back play which saw new Pirates skipper Chris Conaboy sit out the remainder of the session following the receipt of a 10 minute personal misconduct. The match then exploded in the 32nd minute.

Craig Johnston deliberately running netminder Orr (for which he received no penalty!) with Rab Henderson coming to the aid of his fallen keeper and it would be hard to dispute he didn't deserve the 5+game misconduct fighting penalty but why no penalty to the Shark? Orr recovered sufficiently to keep out Gordon Whyte with a sprawling save on the ensuing powerplay but that wasas close as Sharks came to converting on the 5 minute powerplay.

Sharks looked the more determined side at the start of the final session but they had to wait until the 53rd minute for the go ahead goal and it was another one Monson will want to forget, his errant clearance going straight to Sharks sharpshooter and former Pirate Bobby Chalmers and he gleefully made no mistake. Pirates again didn't lie down and within 90 seconds they were level again, they had Sharks skating in circles before Stuart McCaig fired home from close range. Both sides enjoyed further powerplays before the end of the match but it was on Pirates that disaster struck with that man Chalmers netting from an acute angle for the winning goal shorthanded with only 45 seconds left. With such a short period left Pirates couldn't find a response and, indeed, got into further penalty trouble with Monson completing a miserable evening with a 2+10 for checking from behind in the closing seconds.

So it's now 3 matches and 3 defeats this season for Pirates with the deciding factor tonight being that man Chalmers, Pirates simply didn't have a predator to match him.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Paisley: Stuart McCaig Solway: Gordon Whyte
SCORING:
Paisley: McCaig, Miller, Morris 1+0, Watson 0+2, Campbell, Churchill, Nelson
0+1
Solway: Chalmers 2+0, Crane, Gracie 1+0
NETMINDING:
Paisley: Orr 22 shots/4 goals Solway: Anderson 33 shots/3 goals
PENALTIES:
Paisley: Henderson 25 minutes, Monson 12, Conaboy 10, McMillan, Miller,
Morris Watson all 2
Solway: Thomson, Whyte 4, team bench, Anderson 2