NIHL Weekend Action

Electrifying edge over tenacious Tigers sends Warriors to top of table

Telford Tigers     3

Whitley Warriors 4

Making the long trip down to Telford, Whitley were prepared for a challenging encounter against a tough Tigers team who went into the game undefeated in their home rink. Whilst the Tigers were without influential forwards James Smith and Macaulay Heywood, Warriors’ absentees were Dean Holland, Alex Lawson, Ben Richards and Josh Maddock, as well as injured captain Jamie Tinsley who handed over his role to deserving on ice leader Andre Payette. Immediately making his presence felt, Payette found himself sin binned when two-man system Lorenzo Broadbelt and David Goodwin ordered the enforcer off the ice for interference with only one minute and twenty one seconds played.

Placed on the power play, Telford were up against Richie Lawson who was restored to netminding duties after last Sunday’s game saw young shot stoppers Mark Turnbull and Jordan Boyle share the responsibility against Sheffield Senators. With Telford unable to find a way through, the Warriors returned to full strength and applied enough cumulative pressure to edge the Tigers into a defensive error. As a consequence, power forward Jordan Barnes was able to challenge sturdy netminder Dennis Bell in a one-on-one situation, the Warrior burying his unassisted effort to send Whitley ahead.  

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Less than four minutes later, Barnes was forced to warm a seat in the penalty box, having committed a tripping offence but, for a second time, the Tigers failed to make their advantage count as Whitley worked hard to run down the clock. Warriors’ efforts may have been successful but they were also short-lived as, just forty three seconds after Barnes was reinstated, Shaun Kippin was found to be guilty of interference. Unable to find an equaliser, Telford continued to battle but Broadbelt and Goodwin soon turned their attentions to the home side, ordering Philip Mulcahy to serve two minutes for hooking. Despite Warriors’ best attempts, the visitors found that they also could not score on the power play and headed in at the break with a fragile 1-0 lead.

After the interval, both teams returned to the ice with a view for improvement but it was the Warriors who were next to score, doubling their lead on 26:47 when Kippin combined with player-coach David Longstaff, who sailed past Tigers’ defence, to set up diligent youngster Callum Queenan. This two goal cushion lasted all of a minute, the resolute Tigers pouncing on their next opportunity to make it 2-1, experienced Slovakian import Karol Jets threading a pass through to Adam Taylor who slotted the puck home.

Soon after, Whitley received a bench penalty for too many men on the ice and, already shorthanded, conceded a further two minute minor for a Dan Pye elbowing offence which extended Telford’s power play and also handed the home side a two man advantage for sixteen seconds. In superb fashion, the Warriors battled hard to defend their lead and reaped their rewards when the power play shifted from Telford to Whitley as a result of a crosscheck from Tigers’ captain Daniel Croft. With only nine seconds of Croft’s punishment left, David Longstaff helped Whitley to re-establish their two goal lead before the second period was over, this time Harry Harley with the assist.

The score line 3-1 in Whitley’s favour, play commenced in the first period with Telford trailing but holding onto the fact that they are more than capable of making a comeback, particularly against the Warriors whom they have already claimed a point against this season. Parry’s words at the end of the second clearly stayed with the Tigers and it took only twenty five seconds into the final period for the home side to score, Taylor achieving his second of the game, with an assist from in form alternate captain Callum Bowley, to make it 3-2. The score line too close for comfort, there was little chance for Telford to add to their tally as the Tigers conceded yet another penalty, this time their captain delaying the game. Parry’s team had not yet returned to full strength when a bench penalty was dished out to the Shropshire outfit for icing too many men. Whitley could not light the lamp however and their offensive efforts were hindered further by a two minute hooking penalty called on Harley. Though the Tigers could not capitalise initially, Joseph Aston sent Mulcahy in on goal to equalise in an exhilarating fashion with less than six minutes remaining.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The game not over, there was still time for a further twist in the tale which was delivered on 58:17 when a hooking offence from blue liner Daniel Harrison saw Telford go shorthanded into the last two minutes of the game. With memories of their last road trip to Shropshire weighing heavily on the Warriors’ minds, Whitley were determined not to lose out on the two points for a second time and it was defenceman Dan Pye who made the victory possible, smashing a superb game winning shot into the back of Bell’s goal. Seconds later, the Tigers called a timeout which saw the side pull their netminder in exchange for an additional skater. Less than a minute later, Whitley also opted for a timeout as they desperately tried to defend their lead and achieve an empty net goal. Despite the tactical talk, the Tigers were unable to make the additional man count and, though there was no further scoring from the Warriors, Longstaff travelled home the happier of the two coaches having snatched both points to leap into poll position of the NIHL table. 

With Telford Ice Rink a difficult place to secure a victory, Warriors’ hard fought win was no mean feat but gives the team momentum as they go into their crucial derby game against league rivals Billingham Stars who will look to scramble away from sixth place over the course of the next few weeks.

High-flying Warriors secure four point weekend with derby day success

Billingham Stars 1

Whitley Warriors 2

Intense rivalry simmering between the two sides from the warm up, this game was always going to be one of the must-sees of the season and it did not disappoint as the crowds filed into The Forum. With Whitley taking to the ice for their second away game of the weekend, Billingham were set to enjoy a home game, having previously triumphed over Solway in the NIHL Cup at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday evening.  Whilst the Stars started the clash with a full bench, the visitors were once again without injured parties Dean Holland, Alex Lawson, Ben Richards and Jamie Tinsley, as well as youngsters Liam Smedley and Craig Johnson.  Despite this, both sides started at an equally rapid pace to illustrate the depth if their dedication and it seemed that neither team was prepared to lose.

Both sides seeing their fair share of the puck, netminders Richie Lawson and James Flavell found themselves continually challenged; some attacking play from Stars’ forward James Moss unable to find its way into the net whilst some fancy work from Callum Watson and Martin Crammond fell short of the mark. As Whitley’s efforts increased in intensity, it was the visitors who saw the best of their chances fritter away due to Flavell’s quick work and Billingham’s sturdy defence. Counterattacking play from the Stars lead to some wild shots snapping over Lawson but Billingham continued to apply a decent amount of pressure and, with eighteen minutes played, Warriors’ forward Jordan Barnes was punished for a boarding offence as the physical edge of the game continued to mount. David Longstaff’s side proved to be well organised when shorthanded however, defending with all their might to prevent the Stars from taking the lead on the power play. As a result, the derby rivals headed in at the break with honours even.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the middle stanza, it was Longstaff’s men who showed their edge, eventually achieving a well-deserved goal just twenty nine seconds into the period courtesy of quick-thinking youngster Callum Queenan who tied up the offensive play of Harry Harley and player-coach Longstaff to send the visitors ahead. In the aftermath of the goal, Watson pitted himself against Flavell on several occasions, completing some tricky turns to get in on goal, but to no avail. 

Despite the setback of the goal and Whitley’s continued possession, Billingham did not give up their fight, swiftly searching for an equaliser. The home side’s work soon paid off, player-assistant coach Michael Bowman threading a pass through to Swedish import Dennis Boström who fired the puck past Lawson to level the scoring.

With Billingham’s spirits raised, Whitley received a further blow when long-serving forward DJ Good received two minutes for hooking. Again, the Warriors battled the clock in a bid to hold on to their equal footing in the game and they were soon rewarded with a power play of their own, Ben Davison suffering the consequences of a high sticking misdemeanour. Whilst Whitley could not take advantage of this opportunity, Billingham returned to full strength only to concede eight seconds later when Longstaff and Queenan teamed up once more to send Shaun Kippin in on goal; the Warriors’ forward firing the puck high into Flavell’s net to make it 2-1 before the interval.

The margins fine, it was clear that Whitley would have to battle hard to retain their lead, whereas the Stars needed to show the same degree of fight and determination to overturn their deficit. Starting the third period in a similar fashion to the first, a tense final period ensued, Billingham’s Luke Brown shooting the puck over the bar early on whilst Kippin pressured Flavell into a glove save. In the forty ninth minute of play, Whitley’s control was rewarded with a second power play as Steven Wardell ordered Andy Munroe to the sin bin for hooking. Though twelve shots were unleashed on Flavell’s goal, and a further nine on Lawson’s, neither side could break down the other’s defence. A timeout called by the Stars on 58:45 saw Flavell removed from the ice but Billingham failed to make their tactical change count, leaving Whitley to run down the final seconds in an electric atmosphere to grab two points from the Teesiders.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

There is no doubt that Longstaff and his team should be delighted with Whitley’s four point weekend which sees the Warriors go three points clear of Blackburn at the top of the table, though the Lancashire outfit do have four games in hand. In what should be an interesting encounter between the two top-of-the-table teams, the Warriors take on the Hawks at home next Sunday to commence a four week period in which the two sides face each other. Though Hawks have proved difficult opposition of late, Sutton Sting held the side to a 2-2 draw on Sunday having lead for most of the game. If Whitley stand any chance against last season’s NIHL champions, they must be at their very best and display the same level of passion, commitment and fearlessness as they did against Billingham Stars who remain in sixth place; a single point behind Sheffield Spartans.

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