Last night saw the Romford Raiders make their final visit for this season, and if rumours are to be believed, their final visit tp Peterborough in the EPL.

There had been quite some coverage in the press of the build up to this game, mostly covering the possibility that it could turn into an out and out gong show. . There was also a counter release by the Raiders management stating that their players would be there to play only, however, nobody seemed to take that too seriously. Come Sunday evening and Romford turned up with half a bench, (9 out skaters and 2 netminders), I guess a lot of people felt rather let down and that it would be a dull whitewash.

But then no one thought to ask the half bench Romford brought what they thought would happen…

With just over 2 minutes gone Romford opened the scoring and while James Knight leveled it for the Phantoms it was pretty clear that Romford hadn’t read the script. The period ended 1-1 with clear indicators that as far as Romford were concerned, there was more to come. 

The second period started much like the first, Romford fast out of the blocks while the Phantoms looked bewildered wondering why a 2 line team and it wasn’t long before Romford had scored again. Again, The phantoms came back to level the score but the real marker came just before the end of the period when Romford scored their third to go into the last period 2-3 up.

The third period finally saw the Phantoms engage 1st gear with 5 goals in 12 minutes to go 7-3 ahead with 5 minutes to go. Well, I guessed, that was that. I guessed wrong. Now “everybody knows” that when your 4 goals down with 5 minutes to go it’s hopeless, you give up and the leading team puts 2 more past you and that’s that. Well, everybody’s wrong. Romford realised that the Phantoms had eased off, confident of their sure win giving Romford the opportunity to come back fighting and quick strikes at the end saw Romford come back to 7-5 as the final buzzer went.

I think there are a few things that impressed me, as well as a few things that didn’t.
Romford came to Bretton with half a team, leaving out players due to injury and suspension, but the 11 they brought were without any doubt what so ever the right players. Josef Sladok played for 59:55 of the 60 minutes and more then a few of them were skating open mouthed desperately trying suck down enough oxygen to make the next few metres. That they had the determination even in the last 5 minutes to come back and narrow the deficit to 2 goals. I think the Romford owner, John S needs to make a bulk buy of golden handcuffs because if Romford are to make a future in the EPL – this is the core around which to build the team.

What didn’t impress me is that aside from a few exceptions, the Phantoms came out half arsed expecting a walk over and not until the third period did they show what they can do, not until it was very nearly too late.

Still, after the OT win at Slough the night before, this made a 4 point weekend for Peterborough, but I can’t help feeling the real winners were Romford.

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