REPORT: Solway Sharks 3 Glasgow Clan 7

Glasgow Clan, sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West returned to the ice after almost 20 months away and picked up a morale boosting win.

It was a great night as Clan players and fans came together in the one building for the first time since before lockdown and the crowd certainly showed their happiness at watching their team again.

Under new coach, Malcolm Cameron, it was a first chance to see the new-look team and with backup netminder Jordan McLaughlin impressing for Solway, the Clan players certainly didn’t get an easy night.

The first period contained plenty of good build up play and a number of chances on McLaughlin, who impressed with some excellent saves.

Clan certainly the better of the pressure, yet it was the Sharks who scored against the run of play.

Mathieu Roy’s chance was blocked low by McLaughlin, which prompted a break up the other end for the home side.

Suddenly Ross Murray’s pass picked out Peter Gapa, who was one-on-one with Clan goalie Shane Starrett and he took his chance to give the Dumfries side the lead.

Glasgow kept the pressure up in the early stages of the second period and after more chances, they finally made the breakthrough.

Jamie Crooks was the man to get it with a low finish, prizing open a gap to allow the Clan to finally get one in the net.

The visitors got a second as Harry Ferguson set up Cody Sol with a low finish to put them in front a few minutes later.

Another great save from McLaughlin saw Colton Yellow Horn denied, but soon Solway were on level terms again.

Richard Bentham’s shot from the blue line took a deflection from Iain Bowie and the game was level at two apiece after 40.

Clan went ahead again in the third as Tim Shoup finished a delightful shot and they quickly added to it as Colin Campbell scrambled in from close range.

Sharks pulled another back as Callum Boyd squared for Bentham on a quick breakaway and he put it away to bring Solway to within one.

However Glasgow were finally finding their rhythm as the third period wore on as Colton Yellow Horn, who showed some nice touches, picked up the puck on the right, took it into the centre and drove his shot into the roof of the net.

Sol got his second when Clan burst forward from their own zone with Roy leading the charge. The D-man took it on and sent his shot into the net to open a three-goal lead.

But the pick of the bunch came with six minutes to go when Jordan Buesa forged his way down the left then unleashed a shot at an acute angle which found its way past McLaughlin.

It turned into a good night’s workout for the Clan players who now enter competitive game mode when they go to Belfast Giants on Sunday.