Saturday
8th August 2026 – Challenge Match: Shropshire Huskies 6 – Connah’s Quay
Cobras 14
Cobras' 7-goal hero Martin Rybka
(Photo by RDG Digital)
The
Connah’s Quay Cobras took part in a 20-goal thriller, battling their way to a
6-14 win in a challenge match away to the Shropshire Huskies in Telford on Saturday.
Despite
being a “friendly” game, an eye watering 106 penalty minutes were shared between
the two teams and the overall mood was not helped by a number of curious calls
by match officials against both sides.
The
game was quite close in its early stages and the score stood at 3-3 after just
10 minutes of play – with Martin Rybka having scored an early hat trick for the
Cobras. Two more goals - from Scott
Dutton and Mike Filek – followed and Connah’s Quay took a 3-5 lead into the first
period break.
The
Cobras had much the better of the play in the second period and goals from
Rybka (3), Martin Stolicny (2) and Emma Dutton (1) saw them leading 3-11 by the
time the Huskies found the net themselves with three quick–fire goals.
Further
strikes from Sam Plant and a seventh from Rybka, however, saw Connah’s Quay
well in control with a 6-13 lead at the second interval.
There
was only one goal scored in the third period – Stolicny’s hat-trick goal on 49
minutes – and the game became memorable for all the wrong reasons when tensions
that had been slowly simmering all came to a head.
There
had already been a couple of fights earlier on and some niggly penalties for
both sides saw the game erupt on 53 minutes with an unseemly melee. Once the
dust had settled from this, three Huskies players were banished for the
remainder of the match with 10 minute misconduct penalties and they were joined
by two Cobras players.
At
this point, the Huskies team refused to carry on with the game and the match was
abandoned with 6 minutes and 57 seconds left to play – and the Cobras leading 6-14.
Setting
aside the unsatisfactory finish to the game, it was a good all-round
performance from the Cobras with 12 different players getting on the scoresheet
- and even netminder Paul Jones picked up an assist.
Theo
Coulson took over in goal for the second half of the game and was named MVP for
his efforts.
The Connah’s Quay Cobras train at 8.30pm on
Sunday evenings at Deeside Leisure Centre and are always keen to welcome new
players. More information can be found on their website - https://cobras.hockey/ - and “Cobras Hockey” Facebook page HERE.
