The near capacity crowd erupted in the 15th minute of this intensely thrilling end to end ice hockey match when Duncan Wrigley (pictured) scored the first Blackpool Seagulls goal in almost 20 years in this charity fixture against the UK Firefighters Team at the Sub Zero ice arena in Cleveleys.The Seagulls last played English League ice hockey on the Fylde Coast in 1993 at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach arena so this first game back was nostalgic in many ways.
Quite a few of the "new Seagulls" played with the "old Seagulls" - Wrigley included - in the Heineken British League of the 1980s while team captain Gary Shearman, Anthony McGeever and Most Valuable Player on the night Bobby Hall all played in the 1981/82 English League North winning team that played in the British Championship playoffs against all conquering Dundee Rockets at Streatham in April 1982.
By the time Wrigley's shot hit the back of the net, the Firefighters team had edged into a slender 2 goal lead but a second goal within a minute by Joe Charton had the home side back on level terms. The Firefighters scored again just before the break to end the period 2-3 but, all in all, it was good display from the Seagulls.
Whatever was said in the dressing room during the break must have worked as the Seagulls came out of the dressing room all fired up for the second period and hit 3 goals in quick succession (Phil Kirwan, Wrigley again and Boby Hall) to take a 5-3 lead. The Firefighters quickly pulled one back but
Mark Singer fired in a superb unassisted goal to keep the Seagulls noses - or, if you like, beaks - ahead.
However, the Blackpool team were unable to build any further on their 6-4 lead and by the end of the period, the Firefighters had scored 3 more times to even the period out at 4-4 and regain their 1 goal cushion. That pattern continued in the final period - when the Seagulls began picking up penalties meaning they had to concentrate more on defence than attack.
The Seagulls defences were breached twice more in the last 20 miutes for a final score of 6-9 but the guys can hold their heads high after this first match back. Overall, the shots on goal were very close at 60 to 69 and they remained in touching distance of the game throughout.
Furthermore, it has to be said that the opposition were all regular firefighters, ie in peak physical condition - and several of them play regular competitive hockey for English or Scottish National League teams.After the match, a special Seagulls shirt was presented to former player and manager Bob Kenyon (left in photo) who managed the orignal Seagulls during their highly successful Southern League, English League North and Heineken British League period from 1970 to 1988.
Photos by Adam Tranter
For full match stats, click here: http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2012/02/blackpool-seagulls-back-on-ice-after.html
For news about the charities supported for the match, look here: http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2012/02/charities-are-winners-in-thrilling-ice.html
