In addition to our short piece on Saturday night posted from Ryde Arena, here’s the full report from the Raiders. Ed
The Wightlink Raiders picked up their first league championship for 14 years on Saturday night in front of an ecstatic crowd at Ryde Arena.
Over 900 fans packed into the rink to see the home team demolish old rivals Cardiff ENL Devils 9-0 to seal the ENL title in emphatic style.
A noisy and enthusiastic crowd were treated to another great game which had goals, big hits and fights and which will have done the popularity of the sport on the Island no harm at all.
Hat trick from Murray
Alex Murray top scored with a hat trick while Richard Bentham, Jason Gorrie, Dom Hopkins, Damon Larter, Steve Gosset and Robbie Brown all got on the scoresheet as well.
Netminder Matt Colclough picked up the man of the match award for his first home shut out of the season.
Play offs start in April
Attention now turns to the end of season play offs which will start on the weekend of the 8th/10th April.
With two weekends of league action still to come for the other teams, the Raiders will be going into the play offs fresh and will play whoever finishes 8th in the quarter finals that weekend.
At the moment that would be last year’s play off champions Bracknell although any one of five teams could still end up in 8th.
The winners of that quarter final will then play the winners of the 4th versus 5th match in the semi-final with the play off championship final held over the Easter weekend.
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Nicky Craft
