IF at first you don’t succeed, try again. Or so the saying goes.

Having failed once previously with a video review when trying to get an offside decision overturned, Sheffield Steelers’ head coach Aaron Fox made a little bit of history on Wednesday night when he tried again.

With the Steelers 4-2 up in their final Group A Challenge Cup game at home to Manchester Storm, the visitors thought they had earned themselves a lifeline when scoring a fortuitous goal - the puck deflecting over netminder Matt Greenfield into the net - to make it a one-goal game with just over 10 minutes remaining.

But the Steelers’ bench were convinced there was an offside earlier in the build-up to the goal and - after liaising with video coach Joe Macaig - decided to challenge, successfully getting the goal overturned.

NO GOAL: Manchester's third 'goal' is waived off by the match officials for offside, as Sheffield Steelers went on to win 5-2. Picture: Cerys Heslop/Steelers Media.

placeholder image — NO GOAL: Manchester's third 'goal' is waived off by the match officials for offside, as Sheffield Steelers went on to win 5-2. Picture: Cerys Heslop/Steelers Media.

The hosts’ never looked back and went on to complete a 5-2 win and book their place in the semi-finals.

“We got a great call from Joe,” said Fox. “The staff got the video down to us quickly so we could take a look. We challenged it, it went back to 4-2 and then we closed it out really nicely.”

“We saw it live on the bench and immediately yelled to Mike Mawer (fitness coach) to have Joe check it before the goal even went in.

“Any time we think there is a 50-50 call, Mike immediately texts Joe to check the offside and send it down.

HAPPY DAYS: Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Aaron Fox. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.

“He sent us a clip and a still shot, gave us the thumbs up that he felt it was offside, we watched it on the iPad and decided to challenge it.

“It was a good challenge.”

As a result, the Steelers became the first team to successfully challenge an offside decision in Motorpoint Elite League competition, and Fox believes the rule changes introduced this season around missed stoppages and offsides have made the work carried out away from the bench even more important.

“The new rules this year put a little more onus on the video we can get and how quickly we can get it,” he said.

Ryan Tait led the way with two goals for the Steelers, who raced into a 4-1 first period lead in their bid to secure the two points they needed to ensure automatic qualification for the semi-finals and avoid a play-in eliminator game against the runners-up from Group B.

“The start was important for us,” added Fox.

“Both teams needed the points to continue on this Cup path and we felt they were going to come hard, but I thought we were outstanding in the first 20 minutes.

“Not having to play that play-in game is huge. If that was what we got, we would have taken it, but I’m happy that we are now two games away from playing for a trophy.”