WHITE HOT ON ICE

The fans at East Lane rink last Sunday certainly got full value for their money with just about the toughest and roughest match seen at Paisley Ice Rink. Some of the incidents would have done justice to a Peter Keenan wrestling promotion, and a few of the scrums on the ice about as rough as the demonstrators at the recent Springboks rugby tour.

In between, five goals were scored, but four of them to the horror of the Mohawks fans finished up in the home net. The match had its moments, with flashes of skill and hockey at a fast pace, and there was one spot of play in the first half, which had the crowd roaring in approval. The inexperience of the Hawks is brought to light when the team meets opposition with a player with vast skill, as was displayed by Robert Stevenson of the Dynamos team.

“Stevie” who must be in the ranks of the veterans and longest playing member in the league, had a field night and finished up with three goals.

All three were typical Stevenson goals, but the Hawks defence must take their share of the blame, for they allowed him to swing in on the home goal with clever stick work and stood back and allowed him a shot at the net from his favourite position, and this meant a bit of retrieving for Newall, who had the task of lifting the rubber out of the net. It was Stevie back in his old hunting ground that put the Mohawks out of the Icy Smith Cup and the Dynamos into the semi final.

In the opening stages the fire of the Mohawks pinned the Dynamos back in defence but the visitors were never really stretched with Ian Nelson clearing everything which came his way. Under pressure, the home goal in contrast always looked shaky and it was only a fine stop by Newall, which kept the visitors from going into the lead.

Mohawks cleverly played out a penalty and things began to look better for them but the old story of weak play in front of the net denied tem an opening goal. After near misses at both ends, it was Glasgow who struck first with a solo effort from Stevenson, who single-handed his way through the defence to beat Newall all ends up.

In the second period, it was all out efforts by the Hawks which got the period underway, but lack of guile and a little bad luck kept them from getting an equaliser. After all their pressure, the Dynamos, who could have used the puck better than the home side, struck again, and the man responsible was Stevenson. The defence instead of staying close to him, allowed him plenty of time to pick his spot with another unassisted goal. The type of goal which used to have the Mohawks fans cheering, now had them sitting in utter misery.

To add to their dismay, John Hester plunked another goal into Newall’s net, and the hawks really were in trouble.With the second period ending 3-0 against the “Indians”, it was time for the visiting support to render a song, which, if not very tuneful, showed their delight although there must be some doubt if their choral efforts were appreciated by the home fans.

The last period had everything with the possible exception of a cool headand the poor referee had a busy time with having to control the game, sort out the ice brawls, inform the timekeeper of the penalties, bring on the trainers to injured players, and in general see that the last period reached a final conclusion. After a hectic but not too

Clever Mohawks pressure, the Dynamos team pulled a plum right out of the bag, with a goal as good as we have seen for some time. A quick break by Stevenson, who whipped the puck down the right and skated like fury to meet the return and blast the dancing disc past a helpless Newall. As the game went on, it looked as if the Hawks were going to be shut out on their home ice. It was in the last three minutes before a  Brennan shot which didn’t look very dangerous seemed to deflect off Ballantyne and past Nelson, who had played a sterling game in goal.

The game ended amid a welter of shoving but no more goals. One of the redeeming features factors being that despite the bad temper there was a shaking of hands all round at the end.

On Sunday, Mohawks travel to Dundee.

Report from a Paisley paper of the time