Phil Edgar slides in on goal in an attempt to score. Photo by Charlie Mood.
Warriors opened their home SNL schedule with an impressive 7-0 win over Solway Sharks SNL on Sunday. The game also counted towards the Scottish Cup, with Whitley in control of their qualification tie ahead of the second leg in Dumfries next month.
There was a first shut out for goalie Thomas Brown and impressive performances from Man of the Match Jamie Ord and ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Kyle Ross, while Phil Edgar and Adam Wood also put up multiple-point games.
Whitley were fast out the blocks peppering the Solway goal with shots. Sharks goalie Harry Campbell was performing heroics in keeping the home side at bay and made 24 saves in an impressive opening session.
But he was powerless to prevent Whitley taking the lead just after the 10 minute mark. Ben Richards did well in the mid-slot to get a shot off under pressure from the Sharks defence, before Ross Douglass was on hand to force home the rebound from close to goal.
Whitley continued their offensive pursuit on the Sharks goal and Ollie Jardine was another to test Campbell a couple of minutes after the break with a fierce shot from the left wing.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic though and soon after Solway had an odd man rush on a shorthanded breakaway but they failed to capitalise and the effort was stabbed wide.
Whitley finally got their second goal 5 minutes in. A nice move saw a powerful shot from distance by Cameron Ware rebound to the waiting Kyle Ross, who fired into the net at the back post with a one-time finish.
Solway arrived playing a physical brand of hockey and that saw a number of flashpoints as the game threatened to boil over.
However, the home side went further ahead at 34:20 when Kyle Ross first took Ethan Reid’s pass well before showing great hands to deliver a reverse pass as he went away from goal and play in Jardine for a composed finish.
From the ensuing faceoff Whitley went to goal again. Cameron Ware tore through the Sharks defence like a hot knife through butter to drive at goal and force Campbell into another save. The follow up shot from Ord was also saved before another skirmish saw Jay Lucas head to the box.
Whitley ended the period in the ascendency and were rewarded with another fine goal. Just as they successfully killed off that penalty they entered the zone with Lucas Campion who centred a pass to Ross in the middle who in turn intelligently delayed before slipping the puck over to Edgar at the back post, the Canadian forward finishing with aplomb.
The third period began with some concern after Callum Queenan had to be helped from the ice following a heavy collision into the boards and was forced to leave the game.
Continued physical play and a bad hit into the board from the Sharks saw Ware and Niall Duignan want to drop the gloves before the officials stepped in.
But after things calmed down Whitley were able to assert themselves on the scoreboard and added to their lead.
Pure persistence from Jamie Ord saw him force the puck over the line following some intense build up play at 48:27 to claim a powerplay goal.
Moments later Whitley had just entered another man advantage and this time it was Adam Wood who fired home, taking a Harry Harley pass in his stride.
Ord would grab his second of the game inside the final 5 minutes to cap what was a fine performance from him, with a well-executed shot on the back hand, following some exciting build up play leading up to the goal.
With a 7 goal lead to protect ahead of the second leg on 18th October Whitley will be hoping to make the Scottish Cup knockout stage for the first time since 1993.
Shots
Warriors: 62
Sharks: 23
Penalty minutes
Warriors. 14
Sharks: 16
Scorers
Warriors: Ord 2+1, Ross 1+2, Edgar 1+1, Wood 1+1, Douglass 1+0, Jardine 1+0, Harley 0+2, Smedley 0+1, Campion 0+1, Ware 0+1, Reid 0+1, Lucas 0+1, Richards 0+1.
Man of the Match
Warriors: Jamie Ord
Sharks: Harry Campbell
