The Cobras welcomed their visitors for their last game of the year full of confidence having won the last three games including a 10-0 victory over the day's visitors.
The game started quickly with the Cobras putting pressure on the Bears and capitalizing after only 48 seconds when Emma Stott set up Stacey Wood to score the opener. The Cobras kept the pressure up and only some outstanding goaltending by the Bears Netminder Amy Heron kept the score at 1-0.
At 11.29 Cobras Sue Williams took a trip to the bin for boarding. The Bears stepped up their game but were unable to break down the Cobras defence with the extra person. With two seconds left of the penalty, the Cobras found themselves another person down when Jo Abbs taking a two-minute penalty for body-checking. Again the Bears stepped up the pressure unsuccessfully and the period ended 1-0 in favour of the home team.
The second period started in the same vein with the Cobras camped out in the Bears half. Four and a half minutes into the period Bears Linda Pearson tripped a Cobras player, the ref played the advantage and Emma Stott shot from a tight angle to take the score to 2-0.
The Bears replied two minutes later through Julie Saint, unassisted narrowing the lead.
The third period started with a change of Netminder for the bears as Michaela Walker replaced Amy Heron between the pipes. The change upped the tempo of the Bears but this was short lived when at 1.56 into the period Julie Saint was penalized for two minutes for roughing. The Cobras were unable to capitalize and the teams were soon at equal strength when Cobras Emma Stott joined Julie Saint in the bin for hooking.
At just over seven minutes remaining it became a different game when the Bears equalised through Karen Probin taking the score to 2-2. Cobras were determined to take all two points and reclaimed the lead two minutes later with a strike from Rachel Kearn assisted by Karen Law. With a little over two minutes remaining the Bears tied the scores again 3-3.
The Cobras had other ideas about losing any points and with 99 seconds left on the clock, Stacey Wood scored the winner assisted by Marianne Wright and Jo Abbs. This set up a very tense ending which the Cobras held on for the 4-3 victory taking their run of wins to four on the trot.
Player of the match for the Cobras went to Stacey Wood.
Player of the match for the Bears went to Cheryl Ross.
Shots on Cobras Anna Kirkby 16
Shots on Bears Amy Heron 34 and on Michaela Walker 14.
Cobras next game against Romford 5th January at 7pm