Under 16s make it four wins in a row

THE Wild Academy Under 18 team rounded off their regular season schedule with an 8-6 defeat away to Nottingham Under 18s on Saturday.

Widnes had to travel to the Lace City with a weakened team and only had 10 skaters and one netminder on their bench – compared with 18 +2 for the home side – so this was always going to be a bit of a struggle, despite playing against a team that they had already beaten three times this season.

The game started close enough with Nottingham opening the scoring in the 6th minute and Widnes equalising through a Jake Meehan goal 90 seconds later.

The host struck again and two goals late in the period saw them leading 3-1 at the first break.

Joe Bark pulled a goal back for the Wild on 25th minutes but this was countered by another strike for Nottingham and then a fifth goal on 35 minutes handed the hosts a clear lead.

A sixth goal for Nottingham just 40 seconds into the third period looked to have the game all sewn up but two quick-fire markers for Widnes – from Ellis Mahar and Rory Sillery - just 15 seconds apart dragged them right back into contention with the score standing at 6-4.

Widnes out-shot Nottingham by 59 to 48 over the course of the game and peppered the home goal with an incredible 30 shots in the last period but were unable to make the most of their chances.

Two more Nottingham goals re-established the gap but the Wild youngsters managed to put in a late burst and score two more of their own – from

Sillery and Bark – to keep the scoreline looking respectable.

The result makes no difference to the Wild’s final position in the league table.

They finish in a very creditable third place out of five teams with eight wins and eight defeats from their 26 games, some way behind champions Sutton and runners up Sheffield. ● The Wild Academy Under 16 team picked up their fourth win in a row with a comprehensive 3-10 win away at Sutton on Saturday.

Thomas Warburton opened the scoring for Widnes after four minutes, Sutton equalised but further goals from Cody Ogden, Harrison Lightfoot and Jaxon Kirk-Jones gave the Wild a healthy lead. Sutton pulled another goal back on 13 minutes but the score remained 2-4 for Widnes at the first period break.

Luke Alston edged the Wild further ahead early in the second period but this strike was countered by what would turn out to be Sutton’s last goal of the game.

Two more goals came for Widnes – from Liam Yarwood, just 30 seconds apart, – and he completed his hat-trick with a third early in the third period.

Second goals for both Lightfoot and Ogden rounded off the scoring for the Wild and the win sees them remain in second place in the league table with one game left to play in the regular season. ● The Wild Academy Under 14 team lost 8-5 away to Sutton U14s on Saturday.

While they gave a good account of themselves overall, goals from Jared Knowles (2), Daniel Stephens (his first for the club), Austin

Busby and Aidan Lamb were not enough to stave off defeat and the Wild remain in a three-way battle for third place in the league table with two games left to play.