Match Report: Widnes Wild Women 4 – Solway Sharks Ladies 10 (WNIHL Div1 North)

Leen de Decker was the
Wild Women's MVP
(Photo by Wild Women IHC)

Sunday 18th October 2026 – WNIHL Div1 North: Widnes Wild Women 4 – Solway Sharks Ladies 10

The Widnes Wild Women gave their best performance of the season so far but ultimately lost out 4-10 to a strong Solway Sharks side at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.

The scoresheet will tell you that an incredible 9 of the Sharks’ 10 goals were all scored by the same player but they were far from being a “one woman band” and were a very tough side all round. 

Having said that, Widnes made them work hard for the win and the game turned out to be one of the roughest women’s matches - in terms of penalties handed out, at 10-22 - to be seen at Planet Ice Widnes for a number of seasons.

Solway opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the 4^th minute and scored four more before Leen de Decker opened the Widnes account with another short handed goal on 19 minutes.

The score stood at 1-5 to the visitors at the first period break but the second period was much closer and remained goal-less for the first 9 minutes.

Widnes were given an extended powerplay opportunity when Solway picked up three penalties in quick succession but they were caught out at the back while pushing forward, trying to make the most of a 5 on 3 player advantage but conceded another shorthanded goal on 29 minutes.

 

The Wild continued to press forward, however, and were rewarded with a powerplay goal just 80 seconds after that, from Leen de Decker.

Solway scored again with 32 seconds left in the period and led 2-7 at the second interval.

Widnes continued to have more of the play as the game went on and their pressure paid off with a goal from Kara Gledhill  - her first for the club – on 24 minutes.  Leen de Decker then fired in her hat-trick goal 5 minutes after that to narrow the score to 4-7.

It looked at this point as if the Wild Women might stage a late revival but Solway shut up shop after this and they were unable to make any more headway.

The visitors scored three more goals late in the period and that gave the score a more one-sided look than the Widnes performance necessarily deserved.

As well as de Decker’s hat-trick and Gledhill’s maiden goal, there were impressive performances right across the team. 

Isabel Bateson –usually a netminder - played out as an attacking skater to make up the numbers and didn’t look at all out of place in an unusual role for her.

Stephanie Drinkwater turned away 45 of the 55 shots that she faced in the Widnes goal and Natalie Hammond took over for the last few minutes and kept the Solway attack out all together.

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 match volunteer Lynda Bird and went to Ruby Riley for Solway and Leen de Decker for Widnes.

The Wild Women are next in action on Saturday 29^th November when they travel away to play Sheffield Shadows and they are next at home the Sunday after – 6^th December - when they entertain Solway Sharks Ladies once again at Planet Ice Widnes, with a later than usual face off time of 5.45pm.