BRACKNELL BEES’ long wait for a win is finally over after a brace of goals from Josh Smith helped the side to victory over Hull Pirates on Sunday night.
The forward, who has been involved with the ice hockey club since the age of six, was joined on the scoresheet at The Hive by Milan Kostourek, Lewis Turner, Vanya Antonov and Carl Thompson.
Sam Towner had equalised for visiting Hull before Nathan Salem and Warren Tait rattled in two late consolations for a side who now sit just two points above Bees in the standings.
“It was really nice (to get the goals),” said Smith.
“It was good to get back on a winning note, but hopefully we can keep rolling from here.
“There is still quite a few games left of the season and we’re only nine points behind (the play-off spots) now so hopefully this will get us rolling from here onwards.”
Bracknell went into the game four points adrift of their fellow strugglers after the Pirates stunned Peterborough Phantoms when winning 5-1 the night before, while Bees were beaten 3-1 at Telford Tigers – an 18th consecutive loss.
Player-coach Lukas Smital, who remains sidelined with a broken finger, said before the game his side needed to win this basement battle if they were to keep any remaining hopes of securing a play-off spot alive.
And the Czech saw his charges get off to the perfect start when Smith opened the scoring in just the second minute.
Smith would break the deadlock via a wrap-around goal, chancing his luck after captain Matt Foord had sent a strike from a James Galazzi pass just wide of a post.
Alex Barker saw an effort palmed away by Martins Raitums and was unlucky with a reverse strike while Lee Bonner saw out an interference minor as the Bees smelt blood.
Scott Spearing also went close during the powerplay, but Bracknell were unable to capitalise.
Carl Graham opened up from the blueline, but was over, while Antonov was off target as more chances fell the hosts’ way.
Hull had moments of their own too, and Tommi Laine should have done better when a kind deflection off the board sent him on his way, but his low drive was kept out by Bracknell netminder Alex Mettam.
Yet they were back on level terms in the 13th minute. Dominic Osman burst forward down the right and skipped past an attempted challenge before his low centre was buried by Towner.
Hull almost completed the turnaround just moments later when Pasi Salonen shrugged off numerous challenges as he made his way towards the ironwork – but he was eventually thwarted by Mettam, who did enough to steer the winger away from goal.
The two teams would head in to the first interval on level terms, but the scores would not remain at stalemate for long.
It was that man Smith again who nudged Bees back in front, latching on to another Galazzi pass and stroking the puck home at the far post.
Only a smart interception from Jamie Cobley denied Barker another crack at goal before Spearing forced Raitums into a save.
The import lit the lamp when letting fly from the blueline, with his effort helped into the net via the crossbar.
Bees were now in the ascendancy, although it was felt another goal would be needed to take control of the fixture.
It would not arrive before the buzzer, with Bracknell falling into penalty trouble when Turner (tripping), quickly followed Galazzi (holding) into the bin.
The only real opportunity for Hull during this time came through a shot which hit the plexi glass, but they were unlucky not to cut the gap when Laine skimmed the bar shortly after the opposition returned to full strength.
The pipework would come to Bees’ aid again early in the third stanza, with a post this time keeping out an Osman drive, who also saw Mettam equal to another chance soon after.
It was the home side, however, who were enjoying the better luck in front of goal, and further breathing space between the two sides would arrive when Turner produced the desicive touch amid a clutch of bodies around the crease and make it 4-1.
Antonov and Kostourek would provide the assists – with the two combining again two minutes later to put Bracknell out of reach.
The latter was too hot to handle as he made his way down the left, where he pulled the puck back to his team-mate, who would beat replacement netminder Ashley Smith with a first-time strike which nestled in the corner.
The Pirates, who won a recent clash between the sides 6-3 up in Humberside, were now playing for pride, yet Laine would work Mettam before Salem was off target.
But they were unable to prevent Bees netting a sixth, which was bagged by Thompson.
It was some finish too, with the player firing across Smith and inside the far post from the tightest of angles.
With a welcome win wrapped up, coach Smital decided to throw netminder and son Matty into the action – and he was soon involved when thwarting Salonen at the near post.
But there was little Smital could do when the same player cut the arrears on 56:01 through a thundering shot from close range.
He was then beaten again two minutes later as Tait shanked a strike from distance through a mass of players and off a post, but the unlikeliest of comebacks was never going to materialise.
Bees are away at Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday (7pm) before Swindon Wildcats visit The Hive on Sunday (6pm).
