Warriors give their young guns ice time
WHITLEY Warriors decided to blood the young talent in the Hillheads ranks as they took on league champions Solway Sharks in the cup last night, writes CHRIS MACKENZIE.
The Warriors opted to give all their up-and-coming players ice time, with the likes of Jamie Ord, Antony Wetherall and Ross Douglass taking regular shifts against the NIHL North title winners.
Despite the inexperience in their team, Whitley were able to more than match Solway for much of the contest.
After 35 minutes of play, Sharks held a narrow 2-1 advantage, with Callum Watson getting on the scoresheet for Warriors.
Solway extended their lead on 38 minutes, however, when the lively Duncan Spiers fired home.
Scott Henderson grabbed a further Sharks goal early on in the third stanza to make it 4-1 to the visitors from Dumfries.
Warriors ran into some late penalty trouble which Solway were able to capitalise on, and Marc Fowley netted two powerplay goals for the Sharks to seal a 6-1 win.
Callum Watson was chosen as Warriors’ man of the match for his all-action display.
Last night’s game completed a busy weekend for the Warriors, following on from their trip to Shropshire on Saturday for a league clash against the Telford Tigers.
Warriors lost 7-3, with playercoach David Longstaff, import Andre Payette and the in-form Callum Watson grabbing the goals for Whitley.
Josh Maddock put in an accomplished display back on the blue line and was chosen as Warriors’ man of the match.
The Warriors’ last game of the season comes this weekend when they travel down to Teesside to take on North East rivals Billingham Stars in the NIHL North Division One.