Whitley should have defencemen Daniel Pye and Scott Cooper available this weekend for Warriors home NIHL North Division 1 match up with the Manchester Minotaurs. Whitley have been extremely low on defensive numbers in recent weeks as Rob Wilson was the clubs only senior blue liner who was able to ice last weekend so the inclusion of Pye and Cooper on the Whitley roster is great news for the entire Tyneside organisation.
Player/Coach Simon Leach will not take to the ice this weekend though as the knee injury Simon suffered against Sheffield last Sunday evening will keep him out of action for the remainder of the current campaign. Simon is currently on crutches and will have a MRI scan next week however he will be on the Whitley bench on Sunday as his side face a crucial match up as Warriors look to improve their end of season play off prospects.
Whitley will also be without the hard working forward Jamie Tinsley for the Manchester game as Warriors skipper is out of action with a hand injury. Jamie picked up the injury when he took a slash to the hand against the Sutton Sting last Saturday, despite the injury he iced again for Warriors the following day when the Sheffield Spartans visited Hillheads however he now needs to allow himself some time to recover and it is hoped that he will be back for Whitley’s trip to Blackburn on Saturday January 31st.
Whitley have faced Manchester on 2 occasions so far this season picking up victories from both match ups as they defeated the Minotaurs 9-1 on home ice back in October before Simon Leach’s side claimed a comfortable 5-1 victory at Altrincham in November.
Sunday’s game faces off at 5pm at Hillheads Ice Rink in Whitley Bay with doors opening half an hour earlier at 4.30pm. Warriors fans are encouraged to come down to the rink and get behind their team as Whitley look to get back to winning ways in league action.