Fife Flyers hold on for title win in 1992

The champions-elect were coasting to victory in Glasgow and a place in the top flight when opponents Ayr Raiders staged the fight back to end all fight backs.

The finale capped one of the most remarkable games of the modern era.

The Summit Centre was filled to capacity – not all fans got in – and every viewing point was taken.

The west coast men needed to win the game by three clear goals to top the play-off group.

They trailed 6-4 with less than seven minutes to play, but an incredible four-goal blitz produced a grandstand finish which very nearly caused the sensation of the season.

The game was balanced on a knife-edge for two and a half nerve-wracking minutes and as Flyers clung by their fingertips to their promotion, the tension was unbearable, the pressure immense, and the atmosphere simply unbelievable.

Ayr’s Premier League status, and perhaps the entire future of the club, hinged upon one more shot flying past netminder Colin Downie.

Flyers’ entire season rested on winning the last face-off, dumping the puck down the ice, and willing the clock to reach zero before Raiders could strike again.

It must have been the longest 150 seconds of coach Brian Enewischer’s life – little wonder he leapt over the barrier wall within a split second of the final whistle to start the celebrations.

And yet the tension was all so unnecessary. For 55 minutes Flyers stuck to a highly disciplined game plan, and the longer the match progressed, the closer they pushed Ayr towards the trap door.

Raiders had blitzed Flyers’ goal throughout an opening period which was played at a whirlwind pace. A goal was almost inevitable and it came via Ayr’s Parent.

But two goals in return from Frank Morris and Gordon Latto – the latter a showreel coast to coast solo effort –put Flyers ahead as the buzzer ended the first period.

The second proved to be just as fast and furious with Ayr drawing first blood through Dennehy to tie the game at 2-2.

Within two minutes, however, the advantage returned to Flyers when Paul Berrington netted.

They had to wait until the half hour mark before extending their lead.

Morris skated on to a Richard Laplante pass and hurtled down the wing before scoring with a magnificent long-range strike.

Rost netted on the powerplay to make it 4-3 at 38:54 and the game was all square again at 41:55 courtesy of Tony Redmond.

Flyers went ahead again through Laplante before Latto scored what should have been the goal to settle it, but Ayr had other ideas.

Two goals from Dennehy and one each from MacLean and parent had Flyers reeling and just one more would see Ayr steal the title.

But Flyers managed to retain possession from the very last face-off in their own zone, and held on by the skin of their teeth to gain promotion.

Raiders had no time to respond.

They won the match, but lost the battle.