Whitley Warriors travel down to Solihull this weekend for a clash with the Barons in a NIHL North Division 1 match up. Warriors currently lie in 2nd place in the standings 1 place and 13 points ahead of the Barons and given the 2 sides could well meet one another in the semi finals of the end of season championship play offs this weekend’s game will be competitive affair between 2 sides eager to end the regular season with as many points and as much momentum as possible.
So far this season Warriors and Barons have faced each other on 3 occasions with Whitley taking the full 6 points on offer from those clashes. All of the games have been keenly contested affairs between 2 of the top sides in NIHL North and this weekend’s clash is likely to be another tight tense match up.
Whitley will be missing several players this weekend as versatile import Andre Payette is ruled out through suspension while the likes of Callum Queenan, Shaun Kippin, Stu Tomlinson and Scott Cooper are all out of action due to injury. Queenan, Tomlinson and Cooper are all out with long term injuries while Shaun Kippin is ruled out with a back injury that saw the popular centre leave the last league game after around 30 minutes of action. Warriors alternate captain and power forward Jordan Barnes could also miss the game due to a minor injury.
The above absentees will mean that Warriors player/coach David Longstaff and his coaching team will utilise his large squad of players this weekend with youngsters such as Kyle Ross, Ben Richards and Liam Smedley all likely to see increased ice time against Barons on Sunday evening. Squad player Alan Yarrow is also likely to play on a regular line during this weekend’s game as Warriors look to establish their best forward lines and defensive pairings ahead of the championship play offs in April at Ice Sheffield at the end of the regular league campaign.