Friday 26th February 2010

 The B52's welcomed the Milton Keynes Jesters for the
first time, with the home team desperate for a win to keep their
slim Thames Valley Cup hopes alive. However, having been heavily
beaten in Milton Keynes a few weeks earlier there was a certain amount
of pessimism prior to the game.

  Those doubts seemed well placed when the Jesters scored after just 25 seconds,
Bakogeorge chipping home to put the B52's well and truely on the back foot. Things looked
like they might get worse shorty afterwards when the B52's veteran captain, Mark Gibson, got
called for checking, putting the Jesters on the power play. However, after hard work on the kill it was
Andy Downs who was able to break away and bring the B52's level with a shorthanded goal. Despite a few
penalties to both sides and a few chances, there were no further goals with the period ending 1-1.

  It was to be the B52's who would strike first in the second, Downsey ripping home a laser of a shot at 28:06,

bagging his second goal of the game and putting the home team up 2-1. This seemed to upset the Jesters a bit as they
then took three penalties. They knuckled down to the task and killed all three, including 1:49 of 5-on-3 play. This clearly
gave them a lift and with just 31 seconds left in the period they tied the game 2-2, Haynes slotting home the equalising goal.

  Into the third and both teams killed off a power play and continued to try and create chances, but with the game being so hard
fought there were few clear cut opportunities. But with six and a half minutes remaining it was the Jesters who scored, Spring
finding the top corner on a broken play from a sharp angle. Bracknell gave it their all in the last five minutes, creating a number
of quality chances, even missing a couple where it seemed easier to score, but in the end it wasn't enough. The Jesters went
home with the win and the B52's chances in the TV Cup had ended even with a game against the Hyenas remaining.