Vanessa Crickmore-Clarke was the Wild Women's MVP against Whitley (Photo by Paul Breeze)
Sunday 27th September 2026 –
WNIHL Div 1 (North): Widnes Wild Women 0 – Whitley
Bay Beacons 9
The
Widnes Wild Women’s difficult start to the new WNIHL season continued with a 0-9
defeat at home to Whitley Bay Beacons at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
The
game began under rather strange circumstances as the Whitley team coach was
delayed in traffic and the visitors only had 5 players available – who had
travelled down separately – at the official face off time.
Under
league rules, a team has to have a minimum of 10 skaters and 1 netminder in
order for the game to be allowed to go ahead – and any players who arrive late
have to be in place before the start of the second period.
The
face off time couldn’t be delayed as there was a junior game schedule for
straight afterwards so, with the assurance that the Beacons coach was due to
arrive shortly, the match officials agreed that game could start with Whitley
icing the five players who were there – and they could borrow Widnes netminder
Isabel Bateson in order to get things under way.
Despite
their numerical inferiority - and the
fact that they couldn’t change lines for a breather - Whitley got off to a good
start, taking a shock lead after just 32 seconds and then scoring a second goal
two minutes after that.
The
away coach had arrived by now and, with 6.23 on the clock, the official Whitley
netminder came on to relieve Bateson in the Beacons goal, along with three
extra players – and the remainder of the team joined the game in dribs and
drabs once they were changed and ready.
A
third goal went in with just 3 seconds left on the clock - which seemed a bit harsh on the Wild Women –
and the score stood at 0-3 at the first
period break.
Widnes
continued to battle away but didn’t manage to make much headway against the, by
now, full strength Beacons team and 5 unanswered goals were conceded in the
second period
They
switched their netminders at the half-way point with Stephanie Drinkwater
making way for Isabel Bateson, who thus enjoyed the almost unheard of
distinction of playing for both teams in the same game.
The
third period looked as if it might play out goal-less until a late strike saw
Whitley score their final goal with 25 seconds left in the game and they were
able to return to the north east with an emphatic 0-9 victory.
The
game saw debuts for promising young players Charlotte Nation and Maisee Rowlands
who have previously been playing with the Manchester Storm in Division 2 North
and who certainly didn’t look out of place at this higher level.
The MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards
for Wild Women home games are once again this season being sponsored by niche
publishers Ice Hockey Review and, as well as the usual trophies, the winners
also receive special edition pens handcrafted and donated by Anthony
Stock.
The awards were presented by Wild Women
General Manager Karyn Cooper and to Kate Ord for Whitley and team captain
Vanessa Crickmore-Clarke for Widnes.
The
Wild Women are next in action on Saturday 10th October when they
travel away to play Nottingham Vipers and they are next at home on Sunday 18th
October when they entertain Solway Sharks Ladies at Planet Ice Widnes, 4.20pm
face off.
