Tuesday, 4 February 2025

Deeside Ducks Weekend Report: 1st & 2nd February 2025

Oli Booth was the Ducks' MVP against Sutton (Photo by Maxine Roscoe) 

Saturday 1st February 2025 – NIHL Laidler Division: 
Deeside Ducks  1 – Sutton Sting 9

Sunday 2nd February 2025 – NIHL Laidler Division: Altrincham Aces 5 – Deeside Ducks 3

The Deeside Ducks had an eventful weekend, losing 1-9 at home to league leaders Sutton Sting on Saturday and then having a much closer game, losing 5-3 away to Altrincham Aces on Sunday. 

Sutton had won 20 of their 21 league games so far this season and, while Deeside put in a good showing, they never really looked like beating the title favourites. However, the game was very close in its earlier stages and it took Sutton until a good 9 minutes in to open the scoring. 

It was 0-2 at the first period break and, with only a single goal scored in the second period and 0-3 at the second interval, leaving Deeside still in with a chance.

Sutton pulled away in the third period, however, with 6 more goals to lead 0-9 with 6 minutes left to play.

The Ducks continued to battle away and their perseverance eventually paid off with a consolation goal from Charlie Nicholson – his first senior goal -  on 55 minutes, which also saw off the unwanted spectre of a first ever home shut-out.

Despite the scoreline, Oli Booth – playing his first game for the Ducks - put in a good performance in goal, keeping out 49 of the 58 shots that he faced, and was named MVP for Deeside.

The away game at Altrincham on Sunday was a lot closer and Deeside were very much in contention right up until the dying moments.

The Ducks scored first with a goal from Rhys Howells on 4 minutes but the lead didn’t last long as the Aces equalised just 68 seconds later. A Chris Jones goal 76 seconds after that put the Ducks back in front but Altrincham fought back to equalise again and two more goals late in the period saw them leading 4-2 at the first break.

The second period was just as closely contested and remained goalless until Andrew Chappell – making his first Ducks appearance - scored with just 34 seconds left on the clock – to reduce the deficit to just one goal heading into the final 20 minutes.

Deeside weren’t able to build on this in the third period, however, and an Aces strike with 7 minutes left to go rounded off the scoring for the game.

The game got tetchier as it went on and an eye-watering 92 penalty minutes were handed out overall – 68 to Altrincham and 24 to Deeside.

The closing minutes saw a lot of disruption and the match finished in disarray with 4 Altrincham players – including former Duck Alfie Kelly – receiving 10 minute major penalties for misconduct and abusive behaviour, along with Deeside’s Rhys Howells, to end the game on a sour note.

The Ducks have another home game this Saturday 8th February when they take on Nottingham Lions for the first time this season at Deeside Leisure Centre, 5pm face off.