Colin Cromie scred two goals away in Solihull (Photo by Keith & Jenny Davies)
Saturday
31st January 2026 – NIHL Moralee Division: Solihull Barons 2 - Deeside D1 Dragons 4
Sunday 1st February 2026 – NIHL Moralee Division: Deeside D1 Dragons 5 – Telford Tigers 4 (OT)
The Deeside D1 Dragons went clear in second place
in the Moralee Division league table after winning 2-4 away at Solihull Barons
on Saturday and then beating Telford Tigers 5-4 in overtime at home on Sunday.
The Barons had actually looked like potential title
challengers earlier in the season but a recent run of defeats has seen them
fall out of contention. But away trips to Solihull are always tricky and
Saturday’s game proved to be no exception.
The Dragons got off to a dream start with a goal
from Ross Kennedy after just 59 seconds. Solihull eventually equalised on 16
minutes and the score remained 1-1 at the first period break.
Colin Cromie fired Deeside back into the lead with
a goal on 25 minutes and then doubled the advantage on 32 minutes with a
powerplay goal punishing a Solihull charging penalty.
The score stood at 1-3 to the Dragons at the second
interval but a goal for Solihull just 48 seconds into the third period narrowed
the deficit to just one, signalling that the contest clearly wasn’t over yet.
There were chances for both sides in the final 20
minutes and Matty Barlow finally re-established daylight between the two teams
with a goal on 54 minutes, which proved to be the last of the game.
The game on Sunday against the Tigers was always
going to be close, with the two teams going into the weekend level on points in
the league table and with an identical playing record.
Deeside opened the scoring just 90 seconds into the
game with a powerplay goal from Jake Witkowksi and, despite chances for both
sides, the score remained at a very close 1-0 at the first period break.
Deeside went 2-0 up with a Colin Cromie goal after
just 50 seconds of the second period but Telford pulled two goals back to level
matters by the halfway stage and the score stood finely balanced at 2-2 at the
second interval.
Two goals within 40 seconds of each other early in
the third period – a first goal from youngster Theo Malone following his recent
move to the club, and then one from MJ Clancy - looked to have put Deeside back
in the driving seat – but there was more drama to come.
The Tigers narrowed the deficit to 4-3 on 47
minutes and put the Deeside net under enormous pressure.
Heading into the last 2 minutes, the score remained
4-3 and the tension around the rink was almost unbearable.
Telford withdrew their netminder in favour of an
extra attacker in an attempt to force a late equaliser and the pressure paid
off with an equalising goal with just 49 seconds left on the clock.
20 seconds later, the Tigers incurred a tripping
penalty but they still pressed forward and, with 8 seconds left, almost
snatched the game with a two man breakaway but were called offside.
The score was still level at 4-4 at the end of
regulation time and this meant that the game would have to be decided by an
extra 5 minute period of sudden death overtime.
As Telford had a player in the box, this meant that
Deeside had a powerplay opportunity for the first 1.31 of overtime and they
made the extra man count when Jake Witkowski fired in the overtime winner just
3 seconds shy of the expiration of the penalty.
Deeside get 2 league points for the overtime win
and Telford get one for having been level at the end of normal time. They also
have a slight psychological edge over the Tigers, who they are due to meet
again in the two-legged Moralee Cup final later this month.
The Dragons’ five point haul from their two weekend
games means that they have pulled clear in second place in the table with 61
points from 27 games – four points ahead of Telford in third and 10 points
ahead of Solihull in fourth, although they have played one game more than both
of those teams.
Blackburn Hawks still lead the table with 78 points
from 28 games, having beaten Hull Jets on Sunday, and have a 17 point lead over
the Dragons.
The Dragons are in action again this Saturday 7th
February when they travel away to face Nottingham Lions in an early 1pm face
off.
They are back at home the next day – Sunday 8th February
- when they take on league leaders Blackburn Hawks at Deeside Leisure Centre,
5.15pm face off.
The D2 Dragons return to Laidler Division action
after a four week break with a trip to Nottingham on Sunday 8th February when
they play the Lions D2 team, 5pm face off.
They are next at home on Saturday 14th February when they host the
Coventry Blaze at Deeside Leisure Centre, 5.15pm face off.
