Dragons 2 enforcer Karl Bacon in “action” against Kingston (Photo by Lewis
Cleveland)
Saturday 8th November 2025 – NIHL Laidler Division: Deeside D2 Dragons 8 – Kingston Sharks 4
Sunday 9th November 2025 – NIHL Laidler Division: Billingham Buccaneers 5 – Deeside D2 Dragons 4
The Deeside D2 Dragons had a satisfying weekend in the NIHL Laidler
Division, beating Kingston Sharks 8-4 at home on Saturday and then running
title challengers Billingham Buccaneers very close, narrowly losing out 5-4
away on Sunday.
With the Dragons development team having beaten Kingston 3-8 away on
Humberside in their previous game, the home game on Saturday was always going
to be a feisty affair.
It started well for the Dragons as they were awarded a penalty shot
after just 3 minutes, which was calmly slotted away by seasoned campaigner
James Parsons.
The lead was doubled on 7 minutes with a goal from Noah Percival but the
Sharks hit back with two goals of their own to level the score on the 10 minute
mark. A strike from James Shaw edged the
Dragons back in front just 49 seconds later and the score remained 3-2 heading
into the final minutes of the period.
An altercation with 3 minutes and 15 seconds left on the clock saw some
blood spilled on the ice and the period was ended early for the surface to be
cleaned up.
The remaining time was played after the ice-cut and the teams then
changed ends to start the second period.
Kingston equalised again 2 minutes into the second period and there
followed a nervy phase when the game could have gone either way.
James Shaw fired in his second goal of the game on 30 minutes to edge
Deeside back in front and 6 minutes later Cody Ogden found the back of the net
to give the Dragons a 5-3 lead at the second interval.
A first senior goal for Lewis Edward on 43 minutes further extended the
Dragons lead and then a fight following a heavy boarding incident saw a
Kingston player expelled from the game.
During the ensuing powerplay, Deeside scored two more goals – from James
Shaw for his hat-trick and Cameron Kushnirenko – to bring the score to
8-3.
Kingston pulled a goal back on 55 minutes but there was no chance of
them catching up by then and the Dragons were able to celebrate their biggest
home victory since they started off as the Deeside Ducks last season.
James Shaw was the D2 Dragons' MVP against Kingston (Photo by Lewis Cleveland)
On Sunday the D2 Dragons made the long journey to the north east to take on 3rd place Billingham Buccaneers.
The game was finely balanced and close throughout and, in the end, the
Dragons were unlucky not to come out of it with at least a point.
They actually took an early lead with a goal from Noah Percival in the 4th minute before being pegged back to 1-1 at the end of the first period.
Chris Jones edged the Dragons back in front on 29 minutes but three quick
goals for the Buccaneers saw them catch up and open up a 2 goal lead.
Cameron Kushnirenko pulled a goal back for Deeside on 39 minutes but the
score remained 4-3 to Billingham at the second interval.
The home side restored their 2 goal cushion early in the third period
but a Cody Ogden goal on 53 minutes gave the Dragons some hope. Unfortunately, they were unable to build any
further on this and the game finished as a very narrow 5-4 victory to
Billingham.
As a result of Saturday’s victory, the D2 Dragons move up into 6th place in the Laidler Division table with 9 points from 9 games, leapfrogging Kingston who have the same number of points but an inferior playing record.
The Division 2 Dragons are at home again this Saturday 15th
November when they take on Altrincham Aces for the first time this season at
Deeside Leisure Centre, 5.15pm face off.
Altrincham are just one place above Deeside in the league table – with 11
points from 10 games - so this should be a very competitive encounter.
The Dragons are then away to Bradford Bulldogs the following day.
