Player-coach Jeremy Cornish rushes to congratulate goalkeeper Toby Cooley after the Raiders win at Chelmsford Picture by Nicky Craft.
ICE HOCKEYFOR the first time in 13 years, the Wightlink Raiders have a chance of winning a play-off title — if they can beat Bracknell Hornets over two legs this weekend.
The ice hockey side defeated old foes Chelmsford Chieftains last weekend, 7-5 on aggregate, to book their place in the coveted English National League Division 1 final.
The last time Raiders reached this level of competition was in the 1996-97 season when, co-incidentally, they defeated Chelmsford over two legs. But since that famous win, watched by more than 1,000 fans, the Raiders’ trophy cabinet has been almost bare with just one trophy to their name, the 2001 Millennium Cup.
Now, Jeremy Cornish’s men are raring to go for the biggest match at Ryde Arena in a decade.
They take on Bracknell, who finished third in the league, at home tomorrow (Saturday) before returning to the Hornets’ nest on Sunday. They will be without utility player Stewart Tait for the first leg, after he picked up a one-match ban in last weekend’s second leg victory in Essex.
There are no illusions that the two matches will be tough. The sides have faced one another four times this season, with Bracknell winning all of them.
Their side features two former Raiders, Bradley Watchorn and Dominic Hopkins, and other useful forwards in Mark McCoy, Mark Galazzi and Ben Duggan.
Cornish told the County Press: "For me, Bracknell is the best team in the league. They are well-coached and well-drilled but I hope our hearts and our grit will outshine theirs.
"We know it is going to be tough but I think we are a different team now to the one which lost to them earlier in the season.
"What is really nice is to see how being in the final is affecting the guys. For Toby Cooley and Steve Gannaway, who are the only players to really remember the last time the Raiders were in a play-off final, they are like kids again. And for all the young guys coming up it is so exciting.
"We are in this to win it, but I think win or lose we will come away with a great experience."
Geoff Underwood, of the club’s management team, added: "It would be great if we could resurrect the glory days of old."
Tickets are already on sale for tomorrow’s match, with fans advised to arrive early to ensure they get a seat.
Doors open at Ryde Arena at 5.15pm, with face-off at 6pm.
• Click here for the Wightlink Raiders v Chelmsford Chieftains match report and picture gallery