Photo by Ice Hockey Media - Colin Lawson
Whitley Warriors travelled down to Ice Sheffield to take on the Sutton Sting on Sunday afternoon in a NIHL North Division 1 match up. Warriors were without 3 senior players for the match up however player/coach David Longstaff still had a large pool of players to choose from given the strength of the Whitley roster.
The opening period saw both sides get on the scoresheet as import Slavs Movko fired home for Sutton while DJ Good grabbed a goal for Warriors in a period in which both sides generated a number of offensive opportunities.
Callum Watson then grabbed Warriors 2nd goal of the game after 34 minutes of play picking up a rebound in front of the net when Whitley had a powerplay opportunity after the home side had d man Ryan Johnson sent to the sin bin for tripping.
Warriors powerplay was now working well and when Sutton’s Movko was penalised for slashing by referee Liptrott midway through the 3rd period Whitley extended their lead to 3-1 when defenceman Josh Maddock netted Whitley’s 3rd goal of the game with a powerful shot with David Longstaff and Harry Harley picking up the assists.
Sutton were able to pull a goal back late on through the tricky Movko however Whitley claimed the 2 points on offer thanks to a 3-2 victory against a resolute Sting outfit. Warriors DJ Good was selected as Whitley’s Man of the Match for his hard working display.
Whitley remain unbeaten this season and sit 2nd in NIHL North Division 1 with a total of 13 points from the 7 games they have played in to date, 1 place and 3 points behind the Blackburn Hawks who have won all 8 of their league games so far this season.
Warriors are in action twice next weekend as David Longstaff’s side head north of the border to face the Solway Sharks in Dumfries on Saturday night before the first Tyne Tees derby of the season takes place on home ice at Hillheads the following evening (Sunday 25th October) when the Billingham Stars travel up to Tyneside.
Tickets for Warriors home games are priced at £8.50 for adults and £6.50 for children while a family ticket can be bought for just £24. It would be great to see as many supporters as possible next Sunday when the Warriors and Stars give all they have out on the ice in what will no doubt be a game full of passion and pride.