The WD1 South league table suggested this was an easy game for Penguins but the close results in all of their defeats suggested anything but …… and so it proved !
Penguins do not have the longest of benches on a good day but tonight they were really struggling with netminder Stephanie Owen missing along with Stacie Horn but also having to play Carmel Buttimer in goal to shorten their outfield options still further. Comets traveled up with three lines and a noisy following to back them !
The opening period was tight with chances at both ends but Cardiff’s Sam Zala scored the only goal, taking advantage of Penguins netminder still recovering from a previous close range save. Period two again saw shots raining in at both ends but an early Zala goal wasn’t an ideal start and Comets deservedly moved away to lead 0-3 at the second break.
Again, a sluggish start in the final period gifted Comets two more goals inside the first two minutes after which a clearly tiring short-benched Penguins threw caution to the wind in search of a consolation marker but efforts from Clare Ledbury, Sharon Kahn and Lucy Mae Smith all found the impressive Sam Fleming in top form between the Comets pipes. The impressive Megan Lawrence grabbed a sixth for Comets despite a string of heroic saves from the frequently exposed Carmel Buttimer and the game finished 0-6.
Spirit of the Game for Penguins went to Joanne Saville.
Penguins now have a break until March and are back at home in Bretton on 17th March to face league leaders Basingstoke.
Game stats HERE