Sport

Johnston buoyed by Chelmsford victory as Redskins rout Chieftains

Joe Johnston had a smile as broad as Streatham High Road after the Redskins took four points from their weekend double-header with league-leaders Chelmsford Chieftains.    

Streatham won Saturday’s clash 2-1 against the table-toppers 2-1 at Streatham Ice Arena thanks to goals from Jakub Klima and skipper Johnston.

Redskins’ 3-6 triumph on Sunday was Streatham’s first at Chelmsford in 20 years, with goals from Sean Scarbrough (2), Louis Lockwood, Jack Tarczycki, Adam Wood and Callum Best.

Johnston said: “It was probably the most accomplished and assured team performance by us for a few years.

“Everyone played for the logo on the front of their shirt and the name on the back.

“We’re breaking all sorts of records this year. We hadn’t won on the Isle of Wight for a similar amount of time and we did that earlier in the season.

“We can compete with the top teams on our day, and it’s about bringing those days around more often.”

Klima opened the scoring in the first period on Saturday with a goal from the left wing after Best set him up.

Johnston’s decisive strike came in the second as he drilled it into the top corner following a save by Chelmsford keeper Euan King from an Evander Grinnell effort.

A late Chieftains goal from Matt Turner was too little, too late.

Sunday’s return saw Streatham again take a two-goal lead with strikes from man-of-the-match Scarbrough and Lockwood, but goals from Matt Turner and Martin Piecha made it 2-2.

Scarbrough’s second restored Redskins’ lead and Tarczycki made it 2-4 at the end of the second period.

Piecha pulled one back before Wood and Best sealed a famous Streatham victory.

Redskins face Wightlink Raiders and Invicta Dynamo this weekend, with Johnston buoyed by the weekend’s wins.

“It gives us a bit of belief. It’s doesn’t mean that we’re going to go the Isle of Wight and win easily,” said Johnston.

“It means that Chelmsford and Isle of Wight and all these teams know that we are capable of doing that and they will be worried about us.”

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