A second visit to Bracknell within a week for the Chelmsford Chieftains, led to an exciting match.

The start was completely different to the previous match with Bracknell Hornets firing on all cylinders from the start.

After the initial period of attack and counter-attack, the first to strike were Bracknell, when on a 5 on 3 powerplay they took the lead through Scott Parsons at 6.24.

The Chieftains are a resilient group and whilst still short handed equalised on 7.58 with a breakaway by captain Richard Whiting.

The hockey was end to end and both sides were evenly matched and it was just a matter of time before someone scored.

Unfortunately for the Chieftains, it was Bracknell on another powerplay as Danny Hughes gave them the lead on 11.31.

The second period started fast and furious with both sides playing attacking hockey.

Bracknell increased their lead when Hughes netted his second of the match at 24.18.

The rest of the period was a case of good netminding and good defence but as the period was drawing to a close at 39.34, Whiting as good captains should struck again for his second of the match to leave the score 3-2 to Bracknell.

The referees were trying to keep the game flowing but were making errors, but this did not affect the Chieftains, who straight from the face off of the third period scored within seven seconds when Ross Jones skated through the centre and scored at 40.07.

This set back upset the Hornets and the Chieftains took full advantage at 44.31, Martin Rosenquist after good work by Whiting and Andy Clements, scored to give the Chieftains the lead for the first time.

Within four minutes, the same threesome combined again, this time leaving Clements to score at 48.27.

Bracknell were not to be denied and struck back immediately with Hughes firing home for his hat-trick on 49.11. This left a tense and exciting 10 minutes and both teams were on all-out attack but could not score.

With the clock running out, the referee and Bracknell time keeper turned a good match into a farce. With 43 seconds left Bracknell pulled their netminder Dan Green, leaving them 6 on 5.

From the resulting scrimmage, Whiting broke clear and slid the puck down the ice for his hat-trick.

Neither the linesmen, the referee or the timekeeper had noticed that the clock had not been running. So the goal was disallowed denying the Chieftains a sixth goal and Whiting his third.

The referee then ordered the clock to be run down by 10 seconds, but did not give the goal.

This completely baffled the crowd and the players.

The game was restarted with the advantage still with Bracknell, but justice was done and the Chieftains defence held out to the final buzzer, leaving Chelmsford the 5-4 winners.

This Sunday (face off at 7pm) a special match has been arranged between the Chieftains and the Under 19s to raise money for Junior Hockey in Chelmsford. Entrance is free, but all donations and proceeds will go to the Juniors Section.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.