The omens for Chieftains before Saturday's match were bleak, as they had not won in their last seven matches, while Solihull had not lost since going down at Chelmsford on February 7 and had 10 straight wins to take the league title.

But play-offs are a different matter and Chieftains have proved in the last two seasons that when they have to lift their game they do.

With Karl Rogers suspended, coach Erskine Douglas made several astute tactical changes.

He played Craig Metcalf in a mainly four-man defensive system and detailed Richard Whiting and Jon Cotton to snub out the threat of prolific scorer Steve Chartrand and the results were marked.

Chad Macleod in the Chieftains' net was soon in action, saving at the feet of Kelham early on before Chieftains took the lead.

Andy Hannah dumped the puck in the Solihull corner and Richard Whiting laid a perfect pass for Brain McLaughlin to smash home first-time, thus recording his first and most-important goal for Chieftains.

Chieftains then fell to a sharply taken Kelham goal on 16.06, but Chelmsford had done well to take a 1-1 scoreline into the first break, having been outshot 12-2.

The second period was as the first had been with Chieftains absorbing all Solihull's pressure and mounting only sporadic counter attacks.

The tactics frustrated Blaze who were relying on shots from the blue line.

But with Macleod and the four man defence in inspirational form, it seemed only a matter of time before Blaze committed too many men forward.

Chartrand was becoming increasingly agitated at Cotton and Whiting's close attention and without him the usual flowing hockey had dried up.

In a sporting, low penalty match, both teams had only one power-play opportunity in the second period, both of which were handled with some ease and the period ended at 1-1.

Blaze looked tired as the third period wore on and as Chieftains started to 'turn up the revs', Doyle in the Blaze goal was forced to save his team on several occasions.

The match looked destined for a draw which, at the start of the match, Chieftains would have gladly accepted, but there was to be a remarkable twist in the tail.

With just 41 seconds left, Hannah found himself in the Blaze zone and with only the goalie to beat, his shot was saved initially only for him to send the rebound towards the net.

Defender Don Breau smothered the puck in the crease stopping it crossing the line and Referee Risto Aaltonen called foul play and awarded a penalty shot.

Tero Sarkiniemi stepped up to take this most pressurised of plays and coolly decked Doyle before firing the puck high into the roof of the net.

The scenes both on and off the ice were arguably the most ecstatic seen at Riverside for a long time and although Blaze withdrew their goalkeeper for the last 40 seconds, Chieftains hung on for a most important win and posted two points at the start of their play-off bid.

Chieftains face a difficult weekend against in-form Swindon Chill.

They travel to Wiltshire on Saturday before the teams return to Riverside on Sunday (April 4) for the vital return leg. Face off is at 6.30pm.

The match will also see Chieftains player-of-the-season presentation.

Richard Whiting (left), who did a good marking job on Solihull's dangerous forward Steve Chartrand, and Andy Hannah (right), who netted Chietains first goal.

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