Yarwood holds his nerve to seal victory

NOTTINGHAM U18S ....... 5 WILD ACADEMY U18S ... 6

THE Wild Academy

Under 18 team consolidated their 3rd place position in the league table with a well-fought 5-6 win away over Nottingham U18s at the National Ice Centre on Saturday.

Nottingham scored first with just 47 seconds gone in the game and went on to outshoot the Wild by 24 to 6 in the first period. However Calam Barber put in an impressive display in the Widnes net and the score remained 1-0 at the first break.

Ben McLellan equalised for the Wild just 46 seconds into the second period and a goal from Cody Ogden – who was making his U18s debut and playing up a level from his normal age group – three minutes later put Widnes into the lead.

Two goals for Nottingham later in the period left the score standing at 3-2 to the hosts at the second period break with plenty still left to play for.

Nottingham edged further ahead with a goal on 44 minutes but Widnes fought back and two goals within 35 seconds of each other – from Liam Yarwood and Rory Sillery - put them back on level terms.

The Wild took the lead again with a second goal of the night on 54 minutes from Sillery, only to see that cancelled out by another Nottingham strike two minutes later.

With three minutes left to play, and the teams locked together at 5-5, the tension around the rink was unbearable and then with just 32 seconds left on the clock, Liam Yarwood slotted in his second goal of the game to retake the lead for Widnes.

Nottingham removed their netminder in favour of an extra attacker for the remaining 30 seconds but it was to no avail and the Wild youngsters held out for the win.

Widnes U18s remain in third place in the league table with 6 points from their 5 games to date. They are next in action this Saturday 6th November when they take on Nottingham U18s at Planet Ice Widnes – 5pm face off.