Laidler Conference Weekend Round Up - 15th & 16th November

Solihull Barons extended their 100% record to 12 games with a 9-5 win over Widnes Wild on Sunday night and, at this rate, it is difficult to see anybody else challenging them for the Laidler Conference title this season.  They have 30 points from their 12 games so far (courtesy of a few double pointers...) and currently sit 6 points clear of second placed Sheffield Senators who have played 4 more games.

The Senators had an up and down weekend, beating Widnes 4-3 on Saturday before being shut out at home on Sunday 0-6 by Telford Tigers in game that saw Tigers' GB under 18 netminder Denis Bell notch up his second shut out of the season. 

The night before, Telford beat Coventry Blaze 5-1 in a Midlands derby and, once the teams have all played a similar number of matches - and the double points games stop skewing the points on the league table  it is likely that the Tigers will be the leading the chasing pack for the title. Those two wins make it 5 in a row and their 9th out of 10 league game this season - the only defeat so far coming at the hands of the Barons at the start of October.

In the other Laidler games of the weekend, Deeside Dragons consolidated their position in 4th place with a 7-5 win over Blackburn Eagles in a thrilling encounter that was neck and neck for much of the game  and Chris Jones' 4+0 being the main difference between the sides and Nottingham Lions beat Hull Jets 7-1 to move them up into 5th place.

Photo: Deeside Dragons' Chris Jones  by Peter Sheffield - www.psd-images.co.uk