The Assassins Youth Team started their second half of the season on Sunday with games against Eastbourne Edge and Eastbourne Cruisers.
After being beaten in the finals of the Extreme Tournament in July against the Cruisers, but beating the Edge in the process, the Assassins were looking to once again beat the Edge in league action.
The game started quickly, and the Assassins who were missing the Wyatt brothers, plus injured Jack were short benched which meant Coach Barry could not play his usual lines and therefore had to rely on defenders playing as forwards.
The Assassins battled hard and reigned shots on the Edge goal, but unfortunately it was the Edge who scored the first 2 goals. After some impressive teamwork, James Laming picked the ball up and skated pass the Edge defence before shooting top corner and giving the Assassins a much needed goal. The 2nd half was as fast as the first and with the score 2-1 could have been anyones game. Unfortunately, it was the Edge who scored once again, not once but twice. With the score 4-1, the Assassins continued to battle hard and in the end after some pressure by Stewart Manser and James on the Edge goal, James bagged his second of the game after a goal mouth scramble.
A disappointing result, losing 4-2, but the Assassins played well with the limited players available.
Game 2 was against unbeaten Cruisers who had already beaten the Edge 7-1 earlier in the day. The Wyatts had now returned so with 2 full lines Barry could return players to their normal positions. With no score for a long period of time and chances either end, the game was shaping up to be a good one. Lucy Gruber was pulling off some great saves and Jake Mills and Luke Fitzgerald being solid in defence along with Alix Deviell and Stewart Manser. The forward lines of James Laming and Kieran Wyatt, plus Ben Fisher and Samuel Wyatt were creating some great chances.
Unfortunately, mistakes happen, and this was the case today, as well as facing the older and bigger Cruiser players who’s average age is 15 compared to the Assassins 12 years, the Assassins found themselves losing 5-0 with 6 seconds to go and a face off in our zone. James won the face off and skater up the rink passing players on his way before shooting top right and scoring a great consolation goal as the clocked ticked to 0.00.