Deeside favourite Chris Jones has 4 goals and 4
assists for the Ducks so far this season (Photo by Paul Breeze)
Heading
into the New Year, the Deeside Ducks can look back upon their first few months
as a club with some satisfaction, having already achieved much of what they set
out to do at the start of the season.
They
have given over 20 promising young local players the chance to play regular
competitive league hockey that they might never have managed otherwise – or only
after weeks of bench warming in the hope of the odd shift with a higher league
team.
And
Deeside junior club players Cody Ogden, Henry Phillips, Daniels Federevs and
Jace Gledhill have all made appearances for the Dragons senior team this
season, as well as playing for the Ducks, showing that the development pathway
from juniors to seniors is working well.
The
team has won two of their 15 league games so far this season – two more than Head
Coach Gary Shaw admitted that he expected for their debut league campaign.
Add
to that the fact that they have lost 4 more matches by a single goal margin,
any of which – on another day with the rub of the green, or better player
discipline, in some cases - could easily have been a win instead.
So,
things are looking good as the Ducks head towards the business end of the
season in the battle for a top 8 play-off slot.
Cody
Ogden remains the Ducks’ top goal scorer on 6 strikes, with Kieran Clarkson and
Chris Jones just behind on 4 each. Charlie Spridgeon is the leading playmaker
with 7 assists while Clarkson, Jones and Player Coach Stewart Cutting all have
4.
Following
on from the festive break, the Ducks are away to unbeaten league leaders Sutton
Sting this Saturday 4th January and are then at home to north-west
rivals Altrincham Aces on Sunday at Deeside Leisure Centre – 5pm face off.
