Uphill going for cross-Pennine Cup rivals at Sheffield Steelers

The best that can be said about Storm as a Roses rival for Sheffield this year is that they act as a useful warm-up act for the South Yorkshire side.

Sheffield have beaten them six times out of six, scoring 30 goals and conceding nine.

On Wednesday, in the Challenge Cup quarter final, home, second leg, Aaron Fox selected back-up goaltender Tony Morrone, gave a home debut for Zach Vinnel and unveiled new two-way contact skater Finlay Ulrick. The side comfortably replicated the 5-1 scoreline that they had achieved in the first leg (10-2 agg.)

At the same time, the game provided training-style opportunities for the special teams.

Coach Fox said power play form had been "a little bit stale lately" and was grateful that the Patrick Watling unit had made the most of the evening's canter.

It had been useful to "get them going" before Saturday's game against Cardiff Devils.

Opposite number Matt Ginn admitted it was always going to be an "uphill battle" and said his primary object was to ensure there would be "no quit" in his side. It was a limited objective, at best, but Ginn has to live in the real world, his team clearly up against one with far more resources.

Sheffield's man of the match Cole Shudra is enjoying his best spell of the season and it was the 25-year-old who put Steelers ahead on 11 minutes.

The home side added two Mitchell Balmas PP goals to take a comfortable 3-0 first period advantage.

Hard-working Brandon Whistle scored from a move involving Shudra and Niklas Nevlainen around the midway point.

And while Storm's Tyler Hinam reduced the scoreline to 4-1 Brett Neumann

Brett Neumann popped in a PP fifth, his ninth marker of the EIHL campaign.