Manchester Storm 1-0 Sheffield Steelers (latest)

Brendan Brooks stepped off a trans-Atlantic flight to make his debut for Sheffield Steelers tonight.

He went into the team in a Challenge Cup Group A game at Manchester Storm.

Storm, beaten at home by Glasgow six days ago, were anxious to make it up for their fans. Victors at the House of Steel the previous Saturday, they must have fancied their chances too.

Steelers' new signing Brendan BrooksSteelers' new signing Brendan Brooks
Steelers' new signing Brendan Brooks
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And it was a vibrant start from both sides, with plenty of willingness to attack from home and away units.

Jackson Whistle, hooked in his last game, made a brace of splendid save to keep the game goalless, Stefan Della Rovere having inadvertently made the same contribution by missing a decent chance at the other end.

Sheffield's Evan McGrath hit the post, but both sides were creating eye-catching opportunities.

The visitors' penalty-killers then four minutes to defend after penalties to Jordan Owens and Ryan Martinelli.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sheffield, without Robert Dowd and Davey Phillips, kept a clean sheet before the first interval.

Two power plays came their way within five minutes in the second period; but Storm held on with Sheffield unable to find the ingenuity required.

The deadlock continued into the third period, where a 45-second five on three penalty was successfully killed off by Sheffield.

At 47:12, Manchester got on the score-boar, Luke Moffatt netting from from Dane Byers and Evan Richardson

(More to follow)