WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL
NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE
Saturday 12th September 2015
Telford Tigers vs. Whitley Warriors
Solway Sharks vs. Sheffield Senators
Sunday 13th September 2015
Whitley Warriors vs. Solihull Barons
Billingham Stars vs. Sheffield Spartans
If last weekend’s NIHL clashes were anything to go
by, it would seem that the above up and coming fixtures will not disappoint. In
a game of strange significance, Solway Sharks encounter newly promoted Sheffield
Senators on Saturday and, though both teams have failed to register points so
far, Sharks will be feeling that this is a game they should win due to their
experience in the NIHL North Division One Moralee Conference. So far, scoring
has not been an issue for Martin Grubb’s side with his team notching up seven
goals from some intelligent game play but this good work has been largely
overshadowed by Sharks’ inability to find a victory.
Comparably, last weekend saw the Senators suffer a
double defeat to close rivals and current league leaders Sheffield Spartans,
with 7-1 the score line on both occasions. A goal difference of -12 now leaves
the Senators vulnerable at the foot of the league table but, taking into
account Solway’s recent defensive woes, coach Andrew Chapman must sense that
his unfaltering Senators can attempt to challenge the Sharks this weekend,
particularly as they have NIHL (N1) experience in the shape of former Sutton
Sting defenceman Andrew McEwan who will again captain the Sheffield outfit as
he takes to the ice at the Dumfries Ice Bowl.
Despite this, Grubb will surely believe that Solway
have a distinct advantage as they take to the ice in front of their home crowd
for a second consecutive week. As imports Martin Cingel and Juraj Senko will
once again be at Sharks’ disposal, not to mention stalwart Struan Tonnar and
troublemaker Ross Murray, it would seem that the Senators have a colossal
contest of their own on their hands and one which they must win if they are to
advance in this division.
Also scheduled for Saturday is the fixture between
Telford Tigers and Whitley Warriors. Though Tigers have just bounced back from
the second division of the NIHL, coach Jason Parry will be pleased that they
only lost 5-3 to last season’s NIHL title champions Blackburn Hawks. On the
other hand, David Longstaff will be hoping that his side will carry momentum
from their first two league wins of their 2015-16 campaign against Solway and
Solihull to keep pace with Sheffield Spartans and Blackburn Hawks who have also
managed four points from a possible four. In the past, this fixture has been a
heated affair with players dropping the gloves seconds into the first face off.
However, discipline is key to Whitley’s success this season and the outfit must
curb their frustrations if they are to stand a chance of gaining the playoff
spot they so desire.
After last weekend’s performance against Solihull,
it seems that this will be no easy feat. As the teams face each other again on
Sunday, fans will be anxious to see if there are any repeats of last week’s
battles, particularly the much-hyped clash between Andre Payette and Perry
Doyle. In spite of these ferocious encounters, it remains clear that
Longstaff’s strategy is to first secure points before his players drop the
gloves since Payette turned down an early offer from Doyle and only engaged in
battle on the fifty eighth minute when the game was beyond the Barons. If
Whitley Warriors can come out of the weekend with at least two points, they
will have had a fantastic weekend, and if they can snatch all four so much the
better for the side who struggled to compete last season.
Likewise, Billingham feature in Sunday’s fixture
list as they take to the ice against current league leaders Sheffield Spartans
who scooped up four points and fourteen goals against the Senators in back to
back matches last weekend. Looking to match, if not improve, on their fourth
place finish last season, Sheffield are capable of competing with the best and,
as they are not easily defeated, Terry Ward and his men will go into the game
knowing they have a challenge on their hands. Yet, after last weekend’s win
against Solway, Billingham have received a mental boost, proving that they can
score against one of the league’s most prolific teams whilst on the road.
They
will now be hoping that import Dennis Boström can show his worth, providing the
Stars with goals as well as effective game play. If Billingham should win, they
would sit on four points which would be make league standings an awful lot
tighter, especially if Whitley and Blackburn were to suffer defeat also.
Alternatively, should Billingham lose to the Spartans whilst Warriors or Hawks
triumph, it would be a very different story and a little daylight may begin to
filter through the ranks. All in all, Stars face a tough contest against loyal
and talented Spartans players who have a habit of scoring goals when you least
expect it, chiefly in the form of the Barron brothers, Will and Oliver, who
managed thirty three goal between them last season alone.
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