MATCH REPORT | INDIVIDUAL ERRORS PROVE COSTLY AS RAIDERS CLAIM BOTH POINTS

The WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms were left to rue individual errors on Saturday night as they were beaten by the Romford Raiders.

Luke Clark made his first home start of the season between the pipes, in the absence of Canadian netminder, Hayden Lavigne. Clark’s last start was in Phantoms’ 3-2 win in Solway on January 12th.

They didn’t start too badly, with the top line of Luke Ferrara, Cam Hough and Janne Laakkonen looking dangerous and creating chances, but their efforts were matched by Owen Rider in the Raiders’ net.

Clark was then called into meaningful action for the first time when he stretched across his net to deny Jake Sylvester the opening goal on the back post.

The sides continued to trade chances as Cam Hough went close after a lovely Tom Norton stretch pass, before Tommy Huggett snuck in on a breakaway, only to be denied by Clark.

But the Raiders did take the lead when Raiders’ new import, Reed Morison, won the puck back from Brad Bowering on the blue line, before skating in and firing a shorthanded goal in off the far post.

And the away side made it two when Raiders’ three imports linked up on the powerplay and Shaun Miller snuck a shot beyond Clark.

Phantoms pulled one back when they broke 2-on-1 and Ferrara played it across nicely for Hough to smash past Rider.

They got back on level terms 2:15 into the middle period when Laakkonen and Ferrara linked up in the neutral zone and Ferrara played a lovely pass to Hough, who ripped a powerful effort in off the pipes.

But Romford hit back again just after the mid-way point, when Tjay Anderson’s effort from the blue line found its way into the back of the net.

And the visitors made it back-to-back 2-1 periods when they capitalised on confusion at the back from the Phantoms as Clark played the puck behind the goal, but Miller picked it up and fed Shewfelt, who ripped it past Clark - who got a piece of it, but not quite enough.

Phantoms got back to within one again when Austin Mitchell-King redirected a Callum Buglass blue line effort at 48:54, but held on for only 23 seconds, as Ashley Jackson made it 5-3 in favour of the Raiders.

Shewfelt grabbed his second of the night at 54:08 when he ripped another effort from near the blue line, beyond Clark and into the net.

When Sylvester was given a double minor penalty for the away side, Phantoms went for it and pulled Clark from the net in favour of the extra skater.

And it paid off to begin with, when Duncan Speirs tapped home from on the goal line after Ferrara’s blue liner was saved.

But the second time Clark went to the bench, the Raiders hit the target on the empty net, allowing Shewfelt to complete his hat-trick.

With nothing to lose, Clark went to the bench again and the Raiders capitalised again, George Norcliffe this time adding his name to the scoresheet to complete a frustrating night at the office for the WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms.