ISLE OF WIGHT, UK – English National League champions Wightlink Raiders may have lost out in the play-off final, but they are already building towards 2011/12 with some key signings headed by returning player-coach Jeremy Cornish.
The big Canadian was rumoured to be a target for a number of clubs following the title winning campaign of 2010/11 however he was swiftly announced by the Raiders management as player-coach for the third consecutive season shortly after the play-off defeat to Chelmsford.
Taylor returns to Raiders (flyfifer.co.uk)
Winning the English National League ahead of clubs like Romford, Chelmsford and Invicta was no mean achievement and 2011/12 is likely to be even tougher. Once you reach the top you have to try and sustain it, otherwise the only way is down, not that Cornish is worried about such possibilities. In fact the 6’ 2” winger is confident that he is making the right move by staying with the club and is keen to build on the foundations laid so far.
“I had considered moving clubs this summer, but the success that we had this past season was a fantastic experience and I felt as a club we still have some work left to do on and off the ice” admitted the 31 year old, who notched 19 goals, 30 assists and a whopping 132 penalty minutes in the regular season.
“Following up the league title will be very difficult, but our goal of finishing among the top four each year should help us stay competitive within the league’s best teams”
“I think we have built a good core of players over the last two years and I hope to add to that core. Hockey is a sport that always has turn-over from year to year and that will be the case this season”
“I just hope the clubs reputation has grown and it will help me bring players over to the Island that can help build the team”
Cornish and Gannaway
The Raiders were certainly competitive last season as their hard working and balanced squad brought silverware to the island for the first time in over a decade. The campaign will live long in the memory for many of Ryde’s hockey community, some of whom still get misty eyed over the Dan Sweeney inspired trophy winning campaigns of the nineties.
Exciting forwards like Jason Gorrie, Robbie Brown and Nathan Taylor mixed with tough nosed campaigners like Brad Watchorn and Richard Facey to create a squad with a little bit of everything. Every player on the roster had a role from line one to four and it was this team work that ultimately won the league for the Raiders.
Individually the Raiders were an unfancied outfit but collectively they were deserved title winners and Cornish believes there were many highlights throughout the year including his award of Pro Hockey News ENL South Coach of the Year. The award was voted for by his peers and a great accolade for a coach in only his second season in the role.
“The 23 game un-beaten run would have to be the biggest highlight for me during the regular season, we maybe didn’t deserve all of those wins, but we stuck together and got results when we needed them” explained the former Newcastle, Belfast and London player.
“I got a couple messages from friends around UK hockey (upon winning the award), it was the best award I’ve received through hockey and I was pretty honoured that people voted for me. To be fair, the guys on the team are responsible for that award; they were a pleasure to work with and made my job easy on most nights”
One weekend Cornish and his team didn’t experience any pleasure at all, had to be the ENL South Play-Off final against Chelmsford, who had finished just behind the Raiders in the regular season by a two point margin. It was a shadow of the Raiders their fans had seen through the year and this was highlighted in the second leg as the Essex side blew them away with some fast slick hockey to take the play-off crown in front of hundreds of Wightlink fans who had made the journey to support their team.
Fans flock back (Nicky Craft)
The sheer number and enthusiasm of the Wightlink fans that day showed just how much the locals had bought into their side after a few barren seasons in the English Premier League. Cornish looked as jaded as his team mates in the 5-1 second leg loss, not helped by a broken skate blade that had to be taped up as an emergency repair.
“I don’t think it was tiredness, but I do think the emotion of winning the league did take its toll on us” said Cornish regarding the play-off final.
“We seemed to be playing play-off games all the way through the season and by the time play-offs came, I think it’s fair to say we didn’t play like we could have”
“It’s fair to say that our support is starting to grow, we have worked hard on the ice to give fans a good brand of hockey to watch. I would like to think we have given them tough teams that can also play the game”
Cornish had most of his roster completed by early summer last season and this proved to be a successful formula, however with a number of players across the league, including his own, linked with clubs in the English Premier League, the Canadian says that transfers such as Liam Chong’s from Invicta to Basingstoke Bison are a positive rather than a negative.
“That’s what our league is there for. If we can move on one or two players a year to the higher leagues, then as coaches we are doing our jobs” he admitted.
“It’s a big jump to the EPL from the ENL, but we are closing the gap each year. I hope that any player looking to move up the hockey ladder considers a season or two on the Island, so they can gain the ice time and experience they need”
Wightlink have already announced former Whitley Warrior Nathan Taylor as returning for his second year on the island along with gritty local Steve Gosset and former Bracknell forward Richard Facey.
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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