Manchester Phoenix 5 Milton Keynes Lightning 3

Manchester Phoenix moved up a place in the EPL with a solid win over Milton Keynes Lightning on Sunday night.

Phoenix came into the game on the back of a desperately unlucky away defeat at Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday. They had held the lead for the majority of the game after Frantisek Bakrlik scored on 14 minutes, only for Phantoms to grab a late equaliser then win on penalty shots. 

The home side took the lead after just over a minute when Luke Boothroyd smashed it past Stephen Wall in the Lightning goal.  Blaz Emersic equalised on 11.57 for the Lightning but Phoenix regained the lead in the final seconds of the first period when Bobby Chamberlain grabbed a goal after a scramble in front of the MKL goal.

Milton Keynes came out for the second period on fire and an excellent goal by Emersic on 30 minutes levelled the game again. Robin Kovar put Phoenix back in front just over a minute later with a short-handed effort. Two further power play goals - after 34 and 38 minutes - by Adam Walker gave the home side a 5-2 lead as they went for the second break. Walker's second goal in particular was an individual beauty.

Leigh Jamieson grabbed a third foor Lightning just three minutes into the final period, but the game fizzled out a bit as the effects of a tough weekend for both teams took its toll. The win allowed Phoenix to move above Lightning into sixth place in the table.

Phoenix man of the match Adam Walker said: “It has been a good weekend for us. I thought we played well in Peterborough and were unlucky not to get both points. Milton Keynes are always a tough side to beat and we worked hard for the win. We are still a bit short on players but we are putting a run together that hopefully will see us climb the table.”

Phoenix are next in action on Saturday 27 December against league leaders Telford Tigers. Face off is at 7.00pm.