De Decker nets twice but Wild miss out to Falcons in season-opener

Milton Keynes Falcons 10

Widnes Wild Women 3 THE Widnes Wild women’s team opened their 2018-19 EIHA Women’s Premier League campaign with a 10-3 defeat at the Milton Keynes Falcons.

And while a defeat is always disappointing, this match must be looked at in a wider context.

The Wild team had six new players on their bench – five of whom had never played competitive hockey at this level before.

They handed WPL debuts to Josie Moran, Katie Adshead, Kathryn Garner, Danielle Skilander and Laura Marcroft while back-up netminder Philippa Wheeler also made her first appearance in Wild colours, having made the move from Nottingham Vipers.

Despite the somewhat one-sided final scoreline, the new look Wild Women gave a very good account of themselves and the first period was very closely matched with lots of chances for both sides.

The home team took the lead after five minutes and went two up after nine, but then the Wild’s Belgian international player Leen de Decker fired in a powerplay goal to halve the deficit.

Two more goals followed for the Falcons and the 4-1 scoreline at the end of the first period probably flattered them somewhat.

The second period, however, was nearly all Falcons and they out-shot the Wild women by 24-8.

Two home goals during the period effectively finished the game off as a contest and they had added three more by the time de Decker scored the Wild’s second goal of the game at 51.28.

Sav Sumner added a third for Widnes with two-and-ahalf minutes left on the clock and Milton Keynes rounded off the scoring with their 10th goal of the game at 58.47.

The Wild Women have three more away games before their first home encounter of the new season.

They travel to Sheffield on October 13, Nottingham on October 28 and Kingston (Hull) on November 11 before playing at home to the Whitley Squaws on Sunday, December 9 at Planet Ice Widnes. ● The YKK-sponsored Widnes Wild resume their Laidler Division campaign after a match-free weekend with games this Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday they travel to play the Sheffield Senators – who they just got the better of 4-3 at home in their first league game of the season – and then on Sunday they entertain the Bradford Bulldogs at Planet Ice Widnes.

Face-off is at 5.30pm and doors open at 4.45pm.