ICE HOCKEYWightlink Raiders 1, Bracknell Hornets 4
A TOUGH weekend on paper became a reality last weekend for the Wightlink Raiders, who lost the services of two key players and were handed back-to-back defeats by Bracknell Hornets and Invicta Dynamos.
On Saturday, the Raiders were keen to avenge the loss suffered in Bracknell the previous weekend but soon found themselves on the back foot before the puck had been dropped, following the news that American forward John Sarno was not returning to the line-up.
Meanwhile, Joe Reynolds was unavailable and Steve Slater was sidelined after an injury in training.
Undeterred, the depleted Raiders made a good start to the game, bagging the first goal of the night, through Luke Reynolds.
However, the side were dealt another blow when key defenceman Dan Scott crashed into the boards and was taken to hospital with a fractured ankle.
Bracknell levelled the game midway through the second period before the Raiders bench was shortened even further when Steve Gosset was handed a match penalty for cross-checking, immediately banning him from the Raiders next game as well.
Bracknell took full advantage at the end of the period, taking a lead which they would not surrender.
Two goals in the final period ensured the Hornets’ victory.
Invicta Dynamo 4, Wightlink Raiders 1
With everything that had happened the night before, and knowing Invicta’s status at top of the English National League, Division 1, Raiders knew this was going to be an extremely difficult game to win.
With the team now without five players from their roster, coach Jeremy Cornish has some reshuffling work to do to his line up. The Raiders were determined to put in a good performance and held Invicta well for the first 15 minutes for the game before falling foul of the Dynamos’ potent scoring talent as they knocked two past Matt Colclough to end the first period 2-0 up.
The second period would see another concerted effort from the Raiders as they continued to pile on the pressure but were again left empty handed — and another goal behind — as the Gillingham outfit ended the period 3-0 up.
Man of the match Danny Hughes finally put the Raiders on the board late in the second period and, with time ticking away, the Island side decided to pull off January’s player of the month, Colclough, in favour of an extra attacker.
However, this tactic backfired as Dynamos fired into an empty net to make it 4-1.
Gosset, Slater and Joe Reynolds are expected to return to the Raiders for this weekend’s only game away to Cardiff on Sunday.