Romford Raiders completed an extraordinary week of results with a 6-3 home win over Solway Sharks at Sapphire Ice and Leisure on Sunday afternoon, scoring five unanswered goals across the second period to turn a 1-0 lead into an unassailable 6-0 advantage before Solway registered three late consolations.

Three wins from three this week — Saturday's 8-3 rout at Leeds, Sunday's home win here — and Romford have now scored 17 goals in their last two matches alone. For a side that had lost their previous two before this week, the turnaround has been extraordinary.

A controlled first period

Sylvester gave Romford the lead at 17:57 in the first period — Anderson and Baker assisting — after a largely uneventful opening twenty minutes punctuated by penalties on both sides. Ayliffe was penalised for tripping at 11:04, Stenton twice for slashing (7:40 and at the same timestamp, twice — likely a double minor), and Beattie for slashing at 2:57. Neither side made their power plays count until Sylvester struck late in the period.

Five in the second — Solway can't cope

The second period was where Romford ran away with the match. Austin Osborn scored at 24:32 — Power and Dawson Osborn assisting — and a first-period goalkeeper change for Solway saw Calum Hepburn briefly withdrawn at 26:54 before returning at 27:06 at the same moment Anderson was penalised for hooking. Anderson then converted a power play at 31:11 from Power and Ayliffe as Stenton's slashing at 29:53 simultaneously brought a second Romford goalkeeper change, Van Mullem coming in.

Coxhead scored at 32:34 from Hill's assist, Burnett was penalised for tripping at 33:06 which Solway couldn't convert, and Hill then scored at 35:36 — Coxhead and Ayliffe assisting — to make it 5-0. Hugget added a sixth at 37:47 from Tomalin and Lewis to complete Romford's second period and send the home crowd into the third with a six-goal lead.

Third period: a fight, Solway consolations, and a comfortable close

The third period was eventful if not decisive. Boyd scored Solway's first at 42:27 from Coulter's assist to end the shutout. At 45:54, Henderson (SOL) and Briggs (ROM) were penalised for fighting — five-minute majors apiece — followed by roughing calls on Buesa (SOL) and Baker (ROM) at 47:04 and a bench minor for too many men against Romford at 48:29. The penalties accumulated without changing the outcome.

Solway pulled their goalkeeper at 54:17, Hepburn coming back on at 54:54 as Osborn was penalised for holding. Stewart scored on the power play for Solway at 55:57 from Carruth and Buesa, and Yantsis added a third at 59:42 from Buesa and Stenton — but Romford held on comfortably for a 6-3 final score.

Cole Ceci started in goal for Romford and had an excellent evening, facing relatively little serious pressure after the second period began in Romford's favour. Calum Hepburn had a difficult afternoon for Solway, conceding six across the first two periods.

Romford's week in context

Saturday's 8-3 win at Leeds was the statement result of Romford's weekend. This 6-3 home win over Solway confirms it wasn't a one-off. Three wins in a week, 17 goals scored, and a squad that is clearly hitting form at the right time of the season. For Solway, this is a sixth consecutive defeat across all competitions without a regulation win, and their third-period character — scoring three goals from 6-0 down — can only do so much to mask the underlying form.