EPL: Scims fall at first play-off hurdle

Jon Rowbotham's side were always going to be up against it in Saturday night's second leg at Ice Sheffield after losing the first leg in Berkshire 5-1 on Saturday.

Arran Strawson got on the scoresheet for Scimitars at 34.24 to give the home fans something to shout about, but it was sandwiched between two second period goals for Slough's Peter Poljacek (27.23) and Ciaran Long (37.05) as the visitors played a solid, no-frills game to protect their healthy lead from the first meeting.

On Saturday, the Scimitars were given an early indication that it would be difficult to repeat the double they enjoyed over Slough on the final weekend of the regular season when a 4-3 win at Slough was followed up by a 7-2 triumph on home ice.

At the end, Scims goaltender Ben Bowns was subjected to a barrage of shots, letting in only five from 57, while an injury-ravaged Scims managed only half the number of efforts at the other end of the ice.

In a first period which saw Scimitars outshot 28-6, the home side took the lead at 4.41 as Blaz Emersic scored from the slot on the powerplay.

The Scimitars equalised at 6.10 as Peter Slamiar wristed a great shot past Gregg Rockman following good work by Lewis Bell and Matt Haywood.

A fast and physical period was capped off with Peter Jasik giving Slough a 2-1 lead again just 1.52 minutes before the buzzer.

Another early goal in the second period scored by Joe Greener at 21.01 put Slough 3-1 up as Steve Duncombe's penalty was about to expire.

After holding their own for the rest of the second, another goal by Emersic straight off the face-off at 40.12 made a Scims comeback unlikely and, with Scimitars down to 11 skaters when Duncombe was forced out injured, Jasik claimed his second goal at 54.12 to give them a four-goal advantage going into Sunday's second leg at Sheffield.

Full report to follow.