OXFORD City Stars staged a superb third-period fightback from 4-2 down to beat Solent Devils 5-4 at Oxpens Road in English National League South 1.
The victory propelled them up to third in the table.
Josh Oliver fired Stars in front on six minutes, assisted by Joe Edwards and Andrew Cox, and it stayed 1-0 until the end of the first period.
Josh Florey dribbles the puck during Stars’ 5-4 victory over Solent Devils at Oxford Ice Rink. Florey scored the second of their goals before the Hampshire outfit hit back to lead 4-2
The visitors became very physical, but Josh Florey doubled the lead on 23rd minutes, Steve Osman assisting.
However, from 2-0 down on 28 minutes, Solent stormed back through two goals from Richard Facey, and one each from Alexander Cole and Alex Murray, to lead 4-2 by the 37th minute, and Devils remained two goals clear as the second period ended.
The referee stepped in when Dax Hedges and Solent’s Murray squared up before it escalated into a full-blown fight. Both players received a two-minutes penalty for roughing.
Net-minder Shannon Long pulled off several great pad saves to keep Oxford in it, before Darren Elliott pulled one back a minute later.
Dax Hedges, whose late winner sealed Stars’ dramatic comeback against Solent, goes close here with a shot at goal
Josh Ealey-Newman scored a blinder to level up the scores at 4-4, and with under two minutes remaining Hedges fired in a dramatic winner.
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