James shares this latest report from the Vectis Warriors. Ed
Mixed results for the Wight Sound Hearing Vectis Warriors in the first weekend of the season. The Warriors were only able to return home with half the points available despite two good performances at Bordon Roller rink on Sunday 17th September.
The first competitive game for an Island based inline hockey team in almost ten years saw two teams new to the league facing off. The Warriors came up against Slough-based Windsor Knights and were quick to get out of the blocks putting pressure on the opposition.
The first goal
The first goal came quick for the Warriors courtesy of Ben Thomas-Hart. The good start continued with the warriors continuing to put pressure on the Knights defence and were rewarded with a score line of 10-0 by the end of the first with goals coming from Alan Jones, James Eklund (two), Rowan Salter, Dave Downer, Paul Hart, Ricky Attrill and Damon Larter (two).
Michael Treadwell in the Warriors net saw little action in the first only facing one shot.
The pressure continued and more goals were the reward, Warriors finished the first game of the day with a commanding result of 26-0. A result that will make other teams in the league stand up and take note of the new boys to town.
Final face off
The final face off of the weekend featured the Warriors and last year’s league runners up Furndown Falcons, Falcons coming of a loss to a strong Kings side and the Warriors hoping to continue their spree of goals but this was not to be the case.
Both teams started strong with an end to end game that the spectators were sure to have enjoyed but only one goal was the result of the first periods battles, the Goal came for the Falcons but both teams very much still in the game.
The pressure raised in the second period with the Falcons scoring two goals in quick succession taking a 3-0 lead against the warriors, not to be deterred the Warriors hit back with Larter scoring to close the gap, this was soon cancelled out by another from the Falcons ending the second period 4-1.
First day took its toll
The first day of games seemed at this point to take its toll on the Warriors with the warriors taking two penalties that were jumped upon by the Falcons, it resulted in the Warriors being on the losing end of a 3-1 period.
Jones on the score line for the Warriors. The last period started with the Falcons in a commanding position 7-2 in the lead. Four more goals from the Falcons sealed the result in the final period with the warriors not managing to get themselves on the score sheet again with the game ended 11-2.
Player-Coach, James Eklund, was pleased with the performance of the team,
“We played well as a team and fitness seemed to be the only thing that let us down, this will only improve over the season.
“Things are looking very positive for the season and going forward. We have a good range of players in our squad that all contribute in different ways, it’s a really good mix.”
Image: © Kirsty Downer
