Paisley Pirates 4 Scotland Under 18s 2
8/4/2003 at Lagoon Leisure Centre
Challenge Match

The Scotland side looked the hungrier side from the start, with Pirates appearing to almost be in their normal Tuesday night training mode. So it was no surprise that the 18s made the early running and but for a glove save from Damien Orr in the 8th minute to keep out Paisley youngster Alain Campbell, would have taken a deserved lead. This woke Pirates up and seconds later, Stuart Miller crashed a shot off the bar. Pirates then found themselves shorthanded in the 11th minute but despite some near things for Scotland on the powerplay, they survived. Better was to follow when Brian Taylor fired home from close range in the 14th minute to put Pirates largely against the run of play. It took only 24 seconds, however, for Scotland to draw level albeit through an own goal, a harmless cross ice clearance striking a Pirate skate and past the bemused Orr, with Ross McDonald credited with the goal as the last Scotland player to touch the puck. Scotland continued to press for more goals but Pirates held out despite being out shot in the period 18-5.

Scotland changed netminders at the start of the second period with Stuart Grubb replacing the under worked Daryl Findlay. Scotland will consider themselves unfortunate not to take an immediate lead in the second session, only a hook from Chris Mills (for which he was sin binned) stopping Adam Walker inside the first minute. Pirates again survived the powerplay but had luck to thank when C J Blackburn found only the post in the 25th minute. Scotland had the puck in the net in the 28th minute but it was disallowed as the whistle had blown before the puck crossed the line. A scuffle after this saw James Clark take a lengthy stay in the box with a 2+2 high sticking penalty. Again the breakthrough didn’t come on the powerplay with Pirates coming close to scoring back at even strength in the 34th minute when Stuart Swiatek fired off the post. They did, however, net the only goal of the period in the 36th minute, Grubb doing well to keep out Miller and Swiatek but he was powerless to stop Mark Steele on the rebound.

It was Pirates turn to change keepers at the start of the final session with John Russell replacing Orr. Still Scotland enjoyed the better of the game but couldn’t find an equaliser and they paid in the 53rd minute, Clark finding the post but Steele was alert to net his second on the rebound. Pirates then survived two men short for a minute and then, with Walker in the box, they converted their only powerplay of the evening through Clark in the 58th minute. With only 30seconds remaining, Scotland pulled a goal back when Alan Maitland stick handled through Pirates back line before netting with a skillful back hand effort.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Not awarded
SCORING:
Paisley: Steele 2+0, Clark 1+1, Taylor 1+0, G. Nelson 0+2, Miller, Mills, Monson, Struthers 0+1
Scotland: Maitland, McDonald 1+0, Muir 0+1
NETMINDING:
Paisley: Orr (40 mins) 29 shots/1goal, Russell (20 mins) 9 shots/1 goal
Scotland: Findlay (20 mins) 5 shots/1 goal, Grubb (40 mins) 21 shots/3 goals
PENALTIES:
Paisley: Clark, Mills 4 minutes, Andrews, Monson 2
Solway: Bench, Walker 2