Sheffield Steelers 1-2 London Racers

Steelers missing Les Millie and Mike Peron (neck injury), London missing Matt Foord with Joe Ciccarello facing the side he started the season with for the first time.

London won this one thanks to a sterling display from Joe Watkins who at times seemed to keep the Racers in the game single-handedly, and a never give up attitude that saw them plunder two goals in the last 10 minutes. Coach Dennis Maxwell netted the winner, shooting high from the blue line.

3315 fans saw Sheffield's third successive defeat. They have just one win and one draw in the last six games and it has to be admitted they appear to have lost the determination to win, only really pushing themselves when the cause was lost.

Watkins stacked the pads at his right post to blank Dave Cousineau in the 2nd minute with Richard Hargreaves sitting a holding penalty. A minute later Denis Ladouceur was gifted the puck and Jayme Platt saved to his right with Hargreaves still in the box.

Paul Sample popped up at the back post but Watkins shut the door and Eric Cairns cleared the man from the crease and was penalised for roughing. But again Watkins only had one save to make from Cousineau.

On 13 minutes Sample deflected a right wing shot onto Watkins' left post. The period ended with Platt pulling a fine pad save from Jason Robinson's thunderous shot.

A lucky bounce in the London zone allowed Ciccarello to break away but Dion Darling deflected the chance over the bar at his own goal crease.

With Sheffield again on the powerplay, Watkins blanked Gerad Adams at the back door and the Racers defence again ensured there were no second chances.

Erik Anderson chased a long pass and his first-time shot from the left wing was turned aside. A minute later Adams drew Watkins and went wide round the back of the net, but by the time Mark Dutiaume was in position to receive the pass the Racers defence had stacked bodies on the goal line and the shot was blanked yet again.

Another minute and Marc Lefebvre broke down the right 3-on-2 with Jeff Christian and Daryl Andrews in support, but Robinson easily dispossessed the young winger.

Just when it seemed a goal wasn't coming, veteran Ron Shudra's screened shot from the right point was deflected home by Lefebvre (33:52) and the home fans found their voice. Christian then missed a good opportunity before Adams drove the post to no avail.

But in the dying seconds Denis Maxwell got away down the left and his shot reached Ciccarello who batted the rebound into the net. Unsurprisingly ref Boniface washed out the effort.

Four minutes into the final session Sheffield youngster Gavin Farrand knocked over Eric Cairns for the second time in the game and Hargreaves cross-checked the youngster into the plexi for a minor. But again Watkins had just one shot to save on the powerplay as his defence gave an object lesson in penalty killing.

Robinson (twice) and Ciccarello made Platt work much harder when Farrand took a tripping minor. But then Watkins came up big again, blanking Darling's breakway and Anderson's backhander at point blank range. Then Sample again popped at the back post but Watkins made the stop.

Just 25 seconds later Steve Moria converted from the left (51:01) and suddenly Sheffield found an extra gear. But it was London who found a goal, when Moria's pass out to Maxwell was sweetly shot high into the goal (54:31) and Sheffield were in trouble.

Three minutes later Christian checked Cairns at the boards and Hargreaves flattened Lefebvre from behind. In the ensuing melee Darling and Cairns dropped the gloves and the punches flew. When the chips settled Steelers had a 5 minute powerplay as Hargreaves left the game with Darling and Cairns receiving double roughing penalties, Cairns assessed a misconduct for rounding on goalie Platt as he left the ice.

Sheffield pulled Platt with 85 seconds left and one amazing scramble aside, never looked like scoring despite camping out round the Racers net.