How Fife Flyers got their first league points by winning ugly ...

After three false starts, they got their EIHL campaign up and running with a 3-2 victory over a short-benched Manchester Storm in a game which was a bit dog-eared at times, and one which could have gone either way.

Flyers started well with Martin Latal itching for a goal on his delayed debut after six weeks on his sidelines - he will bring a whole new dimension to the forward lines once he gets into a groove - but lost their way a bit in the second and found themselves giving up as many chances as they created as the game wore on.

Tom Coolen juggled his lines, and replaced scratched forward Artur Gatiyatov with defenceman Madi Dikhanbek before then pulling him back to the blue line when Patrick Kyte exited after colliding with netminder Shane Owen. He also lost Michael Cichy for a chunk of the early play after a high stick, but the skater recovered to snipe a fine winner with just under seven minutes on the clock.

Flyers really needed a fourth goal to kill off Storm, but it never came and the visitors probably missed a trick not pulling netminder Evan Weninger when they called a time out with 2:04 to play. By the time he went, Fife were determined to hang on to those points.

“There was a lot of variation out there I was not happy with by any stretch, but we found a way to win,” said Coolen. “The game was not as pretty as I would have liked. Our powerplay struggled again - it’s not like we didn't work on it, or don't have talented players so we will look at it again.”

Man of the match Phelix Martineau got the show on the road with the opening goal at 2:46 after waltzing through the defence, but Storm were level at 14:36 through Gianluca Esteves.

In a game of 97 shots, Flyers outshot Storm 24-11, and were then outshot 23-12 underlining the work the goalies put in,and the chances that were scorned - Grant Herbert was the most culpable, missing several incredible chances to net at key moments. When Dan Krenzelok gave the puck away on the powerplay, Herbert skated solo and made an absolute hash of his finish which cost his side dearly as Fife netted the winner within two minutes.

Martineau’s second goal at 27:54 was cancelled out by Tyler Hinam with a fine shot after a face-off win as Fife seemed static in their own zone.

Storm threatened, and had plenty of puck time but this, as both coaches admitted, was a game of mistakes.

Some nights you win ugly. This was one of them for Fife. They’ll take it.