Sheffield Steeldogs produce stunning comeback to book place in NIHL National Cup final against Telford Tigers

SHEFFIELD STEELDOGS lost 5-2 to Peterborough Phantoms last night. But it didn’t really matter. Well, maybe it did. A little bit.
GREAT LEVELLER: Alex Graham ensured the semi-final went to overtime when he equalised against Swindon wildcats with 57 seconds remaining on Saturday night. 
Picture: Bruce RollinsonGREAT LEVELLER: Alex Graham ensured the semi-final went to overtime when he equalised against Swindon wildcats with 57 seconds remaining on Saturday night. 
Picture: Bruce Rollinson
GREAT LEVELLER: Alex Graham ensured the semi-final went to overtime when he equalised against Swindon wildcats with 57 seconds remaining on Saturday night. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

But, in the grand scheme of things, after their heroics the previous night against Swindon Wildcats, when they staged a stirring comeback from two goals down with less than eight minutes remaining to take their NIHL National Cup two-legged semi-final into overtime and then win, it probably wasn’t the main thing on their minds.

Victory arrived with an Andreas Valdix goal with 67 seconds remaining, sealing a final showdown against Telford Tigers.

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The Steeldogs had tasted bitter defeat in a semi-final already this season, when losing out to Leeds Knights in the Autumn Cup.

Matt Bissonnette scored Sheffield Steeldogs' first goal in their semi-final win at Swindon. Picture: Peter Best/Steeldogs Media.Matt Bissonnette scored Sheffield Steeldogs' first goal in their semi-final win at Swindon. Picture: Peter Best/Steeldogs Media.
Matt Bissonnette scored Sheffield Steeldogs' first goal in their semi-final win at Swindon. Picture: Peter Best/Steeldogs Media.

Heading to Swindon on Saturday afternoon after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Ice Sheffield the previous night, Greg Wood’s team were determined to avoid a repeat of the disappointment they experienced at Elland Road back in November.

It looked like they would, though, trailing 2-0 in Swindon after 25 minutes after goals from Tomasz Malasinski and Neil Liddiard. The deficit was halved by Matt Bissonnette’s short-handed strike at 45.28, although the Wildcats restored their two-goal lead through Malasinski at 52.00.

Three and a half minutes later, it was a one-goal game again, Matt Haywood finding a way past Renny Marr. And there were 57 seconds remaining when Alex Graham levelled, enabling Valdix to take the overtime glory.

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In Peterborough, the Steeldogs took the lead through Jason Hewitt but were 3-1 adrift by the end of the second, former Steeldogs’ forward Nathan Salem scoring twice. Haywood made it 3-2 at 52.59 but the hosts secured the points through Ales Padelek and Nathan Pollard.

Kieran Brown 
enjoyed a 2+2 night for 
Leeds Knights in the 4-1 win at Basingstoke Bison on Sunday night. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Kieran Brown 
enjoyed a 2+2 night for 
Leeds Knights in the 4-1 win at Basingstoke Bison on Sunday night. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Kieran Brown enjoyed a 2+2 night for Leeds Knights in the 4-1 win at Basingstoke Bison on Sunday night. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

As a result, Leeds Knights moved to within a point of the fourth-placed Steeldogs with a 4-1 win at Basingstoke Bison.

Kieran Brown led the way with two goals and two assists, while Adam Barnes and Matty Davies joined him on the scoresheet.

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