Bring on the post-season play-offs

Streatham ended their successful league campaign in style last weekend with a convincing 6-0 win over third-placed Bristol Pitbulls, writes David Carr.

Despite the first period ending in a 0-0 stalemate, the rest of the game yielded plenty of goals for the hosts, with Josh Ealey-Newman ending the hopes of a shutout for Pitbulls goalie Tyler Perre on 29 minutes.

Scott Bailey scored twice before the buzzer sounded, giving Streatham a 3-0 lead going into the third period.

Ealey-Newman bagged his second five minutes after the restart, before league top scorer Vanya Antonov finished a shorthanded breakaway to make it 5-0.

A pleasing evening for the home crowd ended in style, as former Pitbulls blueliner James Warman popped up late on to make it 6-0 and give the home fans one final celebration.

The win ended a brilliant league campaign for Michael Farn’s men in which they have lifted the league championship and two cups.

Farn, who recently announced he will retire at the end of this season, said: “It was nice to finish off the league campaign with a win and a shutout.

“We know that the post-season play-offs and national final will bring a new challenge, so it was important we put on a strong display ahead of that.

“The slate is wiped clean for the play-offs and we know the other teams will be ready to go hard, especially given how early we wrapped up the league title.

“It will be an emotional game next Sunday in the High Road against Oxford, so hopefully the rink is busy and the boys get a good send off.”

The team now prepares for the post-season play-offs this coming weekend with back to back games against Oxford City Stars. Should they advance they then compete in the play-off finals in Milton Keynes on April 23-24.