Pirates slump to humiliating defeat again

Dec 16 2009 by Andy Newport, Paisley Daily Express

SOLWAY SHARKS 11

PAISLEY PIRATES 0

PIRATES boss Dino Bauba dubbed his side’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Solway Sharks their “worst” showing of an already miserable season.

The Paisley side were crushed by a rampant Sharks outfit who rattled up double figures as they returned to the top of the Northern League.

A Bari McKenzie brace either side of a Pavol Melichercik strike gave the Dumfries side a three-goal lead with just NINE minutes on the clock at the Ice Bowl on Saturday evening.

After Mark Gallagher had extended their lead to four at the first interval, the Sharks overran a lacklustre Pirates side in the second period – adding four more goals from Melichercik, Graeme McCamley and McKenzie (2).

With the game over as a contest, the Sharks went into cruise control for the final session but added a further three strikes through Mark Gallagher, Craig McCallum and Euan Edgar.

Boss Bauba admitted he had no excuses for his side’s lamentable display.

He told Express Sports: “There are not many positives to take from the game.

“That was probably our worst performance of the season.

“There was no sparkle or life from anyone in the team and it was just not good enough.

“We were beaten and deservedly so. We got what we deserved.”

Paisley have won just one game all season in the Northern League, despite having played more games than anyone else in the division.

The team now face a tricky match away to Dundee on Sunday and Bauba admits he’s got a tough task reinvigorating his dejected squad.

“We need to come in and have a good practice this week,” he said.

“We need to forget all about that last game and get ready for next week against Dundee.

“It’s not much fun being part of our team at the moment but we have to improve for ourselves.

“Forget everything else, we have to want this for our own pride.

“There is a miserable atmosphere in the dressing room right after a defeat, like last weekend’s, but hopefully we can get a reaction.

“We don’t normally lose two bad ones in a row, so I’m looking for a reaction when we go up to Dundee.”

Pirates were put under pressure early on as they lost both Stuart McCaig and Char Reekie in quick succession to penalties for interference and hooking.

And the Paisley side were made to pay as the Sharks went goal crazy in the opening period.

McKenzie netted a power-play goal after he finished off a move involving Juraj Senko and Ross Edgar.

The Dumfries side made their mad advantage count once more as Melichercik netted before Sharks grabbed their third again as Bari McKenzie fired home from Mark Gallagher’s assist.

The home team grabbed their fourth four minutes before the interval as Gallacher forced the puck home after could build-up play by Senko and Edgar.

Solway started the second period in a similar determined fashion as Melichercik fired home.

With Pirates’ Chris Linton off the ice for two minutes after he was caught time-wasting, Sharks added another power play goal, Bari McKenzie sealing his hat-trick after good work by Senko and Melichercik again.

The seventh strike came with 37 minutes on the clock as McCamley scored from David Orr’s set-up.

A minute later, it was eight as McKenzie completed his four-goal haul from a Gallacher assist.

The third period began badly for the visitors as Chris Turley was sent to the sin bin for boarding, allowing sharks to grab their ninth of the day on another power play, Gallacher the scorer this time.

The 10th goal came on 46 minutes as McCallum netted after a move involving Senko and McKenzie.

And the score-sheet was rounded off with five minutes left when Edgar rattled the puck home after Melichercik and Gallagher raced-up rink.