April 11th 1998, Women's League Division One - South
The Cobras last game of the season, and a local derby against Romford - the stage was set for an intriguing clash. Romford had a short bench, with 10 skaters and a goalie, but the Cobras had only five skaters, meaning they all had to skate the whole game.
Despite the odds being in the Nighthawks favour, Chelmsford had the best of the early play and spent long spells camped in the Romford zone, with some good pressure being applied all round. Romford started to press home their advantage and try to increase it, when Zoe Gilbert clashed with Rachael Mockler, and both were dismissed for unsportsmanlike conduct. The play seemed to progress at a slow pace - just what the short-staffed Cobras wanted, and at the end of the first period only 10 shots had been taken in total, and the game was still scoreless.
The Cobras started the second period still short-handed after Emma Stott had taken a roughing penalty towards the end of the initial stanza, but this was killed off with little or no threat to Denise Weston in the Cobras net. The second period saw some more offence, with Cobras unlucky not to capitalise when the puck took a few strange bounces, Jen Stedman being the unfortunate shooter on a couple of occasions. This period was also notable for some outstanding defensive efforts from the Cobras - with Rachel Kearn sacrificing her body to stop the puck, and Becky Preen making some important clearances when Romford threatened.
Into the final period, the game was still scoreless, and Romford seemed to be getting more and more frustrated at their inability to string more than a couple of passes together, when after 34 minutes they got the breakthrough - Zoe Gilbert scored from in front of the goal when the puck bounced off the post and past Denise Weston. Ten seconds later and sister Sophie notched the second to tie up the victory.
Cobras attempted to keep the pressure up, but by this time they were exhausted, and only managed 2 shots in the period. Having said that, to go to a game with 5 skaters and a goalie, and keep the opposition at bay for the whole game except 10 seconds has got to be seen as a moral victory.
Scoring:
Romford Nighthawks: Sophie Gilbert, Zoe Gilbert 1+1(2)
Chelmsford Cobras: Emma Stott, Rachael Mockler 0+0(2)