Pirates’ delight over weekend double header
Coach full of praise for players
Paisley Pirates head coach Ian Turley was thrilled with his side’s pair of weekend victories as his team scored the maximum four league points.
The Pirates were in stunning form as they comfortably dispatched Kilmarnock Thunder on Saturday before pummelling Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday at home on Sunday.
An ecstatic Turley was quick to praise his players and says his team is beginning to gel together as they build towards the business end of the season.
He said: “I don’t think we managed a four-point weekend all of last season, when we won the Scottish National League, so Adam Walker and myself are pleased that we managed to get through both matches, perform well, and score a few goals in the process.
“The team has come together very nicely, considering the fact that there were a lot of new faces brought in before the start of the season. There’s a fantastic team spirit in the dressing room, and the boys are all desperate to learn.
“One or two of them have commented that they wish they had come to Pirates earlier, which is a big compliment to the club and, to be fair, the boys seem to be enjoying what they’re doing not just on game nights, but also in training.”
With the results going the way of the Pirates on the ice, Turley was keen to point out the amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make it all possible.
He continued: “The attendance rate at training is virtually 100 per cent, and while you might expect that to be the norm, when you’re training at amateur club level there can be work commitments, family responsibilities, and any number of events which can cause players to miss it, but these guys have been committed from day one.
“There’s a real positive feel about the place right now.
“A number of fans have already said that they can see and feel a difference on the ice, a very positive one, in terms of how we’re going about our game plan and our strategies, and how well the guys seem to be playing as one, as a team.
“Both Adam and I are delighted with the response we’ve been getting from the team, it’s very satisfying to watch players listen and understand what we’re saying to them, and then go out and do it on the ice.
“I think we’ve maybe surprised a few folk already this year. We’ve got a bit of a break this weekend with no games, which I’m quite pleased about as they’ve worked very hard up until now and I don’t expect that to change.
“We’re back in action against Kilmarnock Thunder at Braehead Arena on Sunday, December 10.”