Chelmsford Chieftains are the first winners of ice hockey's Millennium Cup, following a 10-7 win over Swindon Chill.

Duane Ward was the Chieftains hero as he scored five of his side's goals.

Saturday's win had extra significance as it also carried two English Premier League points for the winners, and Chieftains therefore increased their lead at the top over the Chill, who occupy second place.

Chieftains face the Chill again this Sunday, in an English League match. A full report appears below.

The happy Chieftains squad are pictured with the Millennium Cup

Five star Ward

SWINDON CHILL........................................7

CHELMSFORD CHIEFTAINS ...............10

(Datavision Millennium Cup Final)

Canadian Duane Ward was the hero, scoring five goals as Chelmsford Chieftains collected their first national trophy in almost eight years, overcoming rink disadvantage to win a nailbiting affair at Swindon on Saturday.

A packed Swindon Ice Bowl witnessed this inaugural final which sponsors Datavision had planned as a one off final at the venue whether or not the home team had qualified.

It turned out to present the home team with an advantage which Chieftains were determined not to let affect them.

However when Swindon had swept into a 2-0 lead, things looked bleak for the Essex side.

The match opened with fast end-to-end hockey and it was Chieftains who asked the early questions as Ron Bertrand in the home net was forced into three important saves in the first minute.

The crowd erupted at 2.42 when a poor Chieftains' defensive pass out presented the puck to Chill's Magnus Joseffsson and Simon Smith in Chieftains' net had little chance as he saw the puck slide past him.

Chieftains took the game to Swindon only to see Bertrand performing heroics to keep the slender Chill lead.

Chieftains found themselves short-handed after a 2+2 roughing call on Craig Metcalf at 13.25 and with time ebbing away on the first half of the penalty, a slick passing movement involving Lamonte Polet and Darcy Cahill saw club captain Ken Forshee force home the puck to give Chill a two-goal lead at 15.16.

To the immense relief of the large Chieftains' contingent in the crowd the visitors struck back.

Ward intercepted a sloppy Chill pass-out and made no mistake when one-on-one with Bertrand at 17.02.

It was Chill's turn to pick up a penalty as Forshee was 'binned' for hooking and the bench were called for delay of game giving Chieftains a two man advantage.

It took just seconds for Chieftains to fashion their equaliser as a strong Jake French surge found Karl Rogers who picked out Jon Cotton who fired the puck high past Bertrand.

A measure of Chieftains' first period superiority saw them outshoot their opponents by 18 to 9 but the interval score was level at 2-2.

Chieftains came out all guns firing and at 20.42 Andy Hannah stole the puck in the Chill zone and scored to give the visitors their first lead.

They went further ahead when French and Hannah combined to put Ward clear and he made no mistake with the deke on Bertrand.

Chills' third goal was a bizarre short-handed effort.

A break away by the home team saw Smith well out of his goal to clear the puck up ice only for Wayne Fiddes to fire it straight back into the empty net from the half-way line at 24.53.

Chieftains protested that two Chill players were in offside positions but the goal stood.

Chill levelled the score at 29.06 when Chieftains' defence was caught too far forward and apass from Ryan Mair found Joseffsson all alone to record his second goal.

Again back bounced Chieftains and nine seconds later a carbon copy goal caught Chill out as Pete Morley's pass out was collected by Ward and a superb deke saw him net his third goal.

Chieftains opened up a two-goal gap again at 33.20 when Richard Whiting drove his way through two Chill defenders and his wraparound effort was parried by Bertrand only for Jamie Randall to snap the loose puck home.

Chieftains looked to have an unassailable lead at 34.51 when Kevin Conway weaved into the Chill zone, and picked out Darren Cotton who scored for a three goal advantage.

At 36.20 a poor roughing penalty on captain Jake French gave Chill a man advantage which they duly capitalised on with some good fortune.

A mis-hit slapshot bounced back from the rear wall at Forshee's feet and with an open goal in front of him he made no mistake at 37.45.

A period which saw no less than eight goals ended at 7-5 in favour of Chieftains.

Chieftains opened up a three goal lead again at 43.23 after good approach work from French left Darren Cotton to feed Ward for another goal.

Nerves were made to jangle again at 47.46 following another arguable penalty call on French.

A good passing movement involving Mair and Polet finished with Cahill netting at 47.46.

One minute later Chieftains replied when they swarmed forward and Conway scored a brilliant wraparound.

At 53.52 Chieftains were caught all-at-sea on a line change and Mair swept through to score Swindon's seventh goal.

A time out decision with less than two minutes to go on the clock saw Bertrand withdrawn from the net in favour of the extra skater, but after several near misses around the Chieftains' net the puck fell to Ward, and he guided it into an empty net to record his fifth and Chieftains tenth goal.

The goal signalled the end for Chill in a hugely entertaining match in which both teams had contributed much. It was always a sporting affair and was a fine example of the sport.

The Swindon team and management were generous in defeat but the night belonged to this superb Chieftains' team that has now won a staggering 20 out of 21 matches, equalling the club's winning streak of 13 matches.

Some 200 Chieftains' supporters had travelled to Swindon for the match and many stayed over to join in the celebrations.

Not surprisingly Chieftains man-of-the-match award went to five-goal Duane Ward.

Chieftains public relations officer, John Blundell, said: "This win is just reward for everyone at the club who have worked so hard this season, the management, coaches and players have at last something to show for their efforts.

"It was equally pleasing that our major sponsors and several of our other sponsors had been with us to enjoy the moment of triumph, they are all delighted.

"We have first class sponsors, a first class squad, first class attitude, and first class support, it makes the work over the last four years worthwhile. Now for the treble."

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