Wild Women edge nearer to the title
THE Widnes Wild women’s team gave their title hopes a huge boost with a 9–5 win over league leaders Solway Sharks Ladies at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
Two pre-season friendly games between these two teams had produced 16 goals each time and this first ever competitive game between the two sides turned out to be just as eventful.
The game was very closely fought throughout and it took until the 11th minute for the first breakthrough, which fell to the Sharks. Widnes drew level three minutes later with a power play goal from team captain Emma Pearson but Solway pulled ahead again with 90 seconds to go in the period and took a 2-1 lead into the first break.
The second period was just as close as the first, with Solway significantly out-shooting the Wild Women but Widnes netminder Stephanie Drinkwater put in an amazing performance to keep the visitors’ attack at bay.
The Sharks scored again and were 3-1 ahead in the 32nd minute but, once again, Widnes countered almost immediately with a goal from Leen de Decker who was back playing her first game after 14 months away. Another Solway goal and another Widnes reply – the second of the night for Emma Pearson – racked up the tension and the score stood at a tantalisingly close 4-3 at the second period break.
The game was completely turned on its head in the first minute of the third period with quick-fire goals from Leen de Decker and Sav Sumner within eight seconds of each other to
● dramatically propel Widnes into the lead.
This seemed to unsettle the Solway team and they proceeded to pick up a stream of penalties in the third period – some clear cut and some maybe less so – and the Wild women were able to capitalise, firing in three powerplay goals – from Sumner again, Katie Fairclough – with her first goal of the season - and Emma Martin, with her first ever competitive goal, to build up a commanding lead.
A further goal from Emma Pearson, her hat-trick goal, gave Widnes a 9–4 lead heading into the last two minutes of the game.
A late strike by Solway’s Kimberley Breingan – Sharks’ top scorer for the night with 2 + 3 – was too little too late to spark
● any type of comeback.
The resulting 9–5 victory sees the Wild women climb to fourth place in the Division 1 North Table, level on four points with Sheffield Shadows, who they play in Sheffield next Saturday.
Telford and Solway still jointly top the league table both level on eight points but the Wild women have games in hand over all the teams above them.
The Edith Smith memorial MVP awards were presented by game mascot Corey Miller and went to Michelle Croucher for Solway and Leen de Decker for Widnes.
● WIDNES Wild women’s team captain Emma Pearson has been named Oddballs’ WNIHL Division One North Player of the Month for November.
● Leen de Decker with mascot Corey and the MVP Award
Awards are made for the top player in all four divisions in the Women’s league this season, along with similar awards for the five divisions in the men’s competition. Each divisional winner receives an ”Obble” hat courtesy of award sponsors Oddballs who manufacture clothing and underwear for men, women and children while at the same time raising funds and awareness for Testicular Cancer.
Nominations for the women’s awards are made by the coaches of each team and a monthly choice is made from those nominees.
Emma is also Wild Women’s team Player of the Month for November, following on from Stephanie Drinkwater, who won the accolade in October.