Weather scuppers Warriors’ chance to make amends in play-off

WHITLEY Warriors suffered play-off heartache after conceding defeat to Telford Tigers due to the adverse weekend weather.

Warriors lost 5-2 at home to the Tigers on home ice on Saturday in the first leg of their Championship play-off quarter-final, with the return leg due to have been played last night. But the conditions meant the Warriors were unable to make the journey to Shropshire. And with the semi-finals of the play-off programme scheduled for next weekend there is no time to rearrange the second leg, meaning that Telford progress.

Telford took the lead just a minute into proceedings on Saturday when Adam Taylor fired home, and the Tigers increased their lead eight minutes later through import forward and captain Jason Silverthorn.

In the middle period the Tigers grabbed further goals through Tom Watkins and Rick Plant.

Warriors’ Callum Watson and Tigers’ Jason Silverthorne came to blows in the middle session of play, with referee David Emmerson handing out four minutes in penalties to both players for their altercation.

Whitley grabbed their first goal of the game on 43 minutes when Dean Holland got the better of Denis Bell in the visitors’ net with Josh Maddock and Phil Edgar picking up the assists on the strike.

Tigers’ Jack Watkins restored the Tigers’ four-goal cushion shortly afterwards when he fired past Richie Lawson in the Warriors goal.

Phil Edgar got Whitley’s second with a powerplay marker on 50 minutes.