Warriors shot down by flyers

Mon 02, 2010 14:36

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Despite dominating the game for long spells last night, Whitley Warriors were edged out by Fife Flyers in their last Northern League game of the season at Hillheads, but afterwards coach Simon Leach was full of praise for everyone involved in the game.

“I think you have to give credit to both teams for the way they went about the game tonight,” he said, “and also the officials, who let the match flow and didn’t see the need to call one penalty.

“As well as the two teams, they were outstanding tonight and it makes a big difference when two sides that can play hockey the way Whitley and Fife do, are allowed to do so; and the result was we got a game that entertained the fans for the whole 60 minutes.”

After going a goal behind inside the opening minute of the game, the Warriors responded in the best possible way and bettered the Fife defence for  much of the next 60 minutes.

“Last time they were here we did exactly the same and never recovered,” admitted Leach, “but tonight my team rolled up their sleeves after that early setback and can count themselves very unfortunate to be the side that lost such a good game.

“It was disappointing to lose to a goal three minutes from time, when the sudden death period looked certain, but at the time there was probably about eight players around the Whitley net and we just couldn’t clear the puck.

“However, we have nothing to be ashamed of because we have played with good momentum for the entire 60 minutes and worked very hard,” the coach added, “now we need to take exactly the same attitude into our English National League clash with Coventry Blaze at Hillheads next Sunday when we chase the two points that could bring us a step closer to landing that title.”

The Warriors ENL title hopes received a boost on Saturday night when Coventry scored twice in the last 10 minutes at home to league leaders Nottingham Lions to forced a draw and that now means Whitley have their destiny back in their own hands.

“I felt all along there was another twist in the tale before the league title was decided,” said Leach, “and I’m not really surprised that Coventry managed to take a point off Nottingham as they showed the previous week against us how dangerous they can be.

“But that does swing things slightly our way again and all we can do is win the next couple of game to set up a potential decider with the Lions when they visit our rink in a couple of weeks time.”

Ryan Sample was the Whitley scorer last night, his rising shot in the last minute of the first period equalising the Flyers early opener and owed much to some superb one-touch passing from Andrew Tindale and Mark Good that carved open the visitors defence and presented Sample with his chance.

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