SWINDON, UK – Week 18 started with the news Simon Anderson, head coach at Oxford, has rejoined the Wildcats for the remainder of the season as Ryan Aldridge’s assistant along with current assistant coach Gareth Endicott. Anderson, a Swindonian, has plenty of Swindon ice experience having worked with previous coaches Daryl Lipsey and Ken Forshee, and previously with Gareth Endicott when he was at Wightlink Raiders.
Aldridge meanwhile was dealt an eight-game ban by a disciplinary hearing as a result of his tiff with Raiders Jozef Sladok last month, so he will be sidelined until the end of January. So, following his decision to retire from skating, that is presumably the last we have seen of him on the ice; but maybe not, if you read between the lines of statements in the local press.
Joe Baird though returned for the weekend’s games following his two-game ban for a match penalty incurred the previous week against Guildford. The Top Ten charts this week show Aaron Nell, with his twenty-one goals, has joined Manchester’s Adam Walker as the top British goal scorer, so well done to him. Joe Baird dropped out of the Top Ten Penalty Receivers chart and Ryan Aldridge slipped to number eight and will disappear soon with his departure from skating.
Week 18 games: Although the Wildcats lost 4-3 at Basingstoke they came back from a four-goal deficit, which shows a huge amount of determination and a gritty commendable alternative from losing a lead, as they have a tendency to do. Manager Steve Nell and new assistant coach Simon Anderson did the bench honours with Ryan Aldridge still sitting out games on the sidelines. It was good to see Jozef Kohut pick up a point after what has been his most barren period with four pointless games. The other noticeable thing is the points spread, with the seven points total being scored by seven different players, with perhaps the most heart-warming being an assist by Loris Taylor.
And then it all went wrong.
In Sunday’s game against Slough the visitors took the honours but netminder Geoff Woolhouse took the minutes with a match penalty for head-butting – which has to be pretty unusual. But what isn’t so unusual was he was followed later by ex-Wildcat Ryan Watt with his very own match penalty for a run-in with Jozef Kohut.
But what was noticeable, and nice to see, was Arron Nell consistently picking up goals with two more this weekend, and Jason Cassells appearing stronger with now six points in four games. Not to mention more from steady and reliable Jan Krajicek. Ooops! I said I wouldn’t mention him.
Contact: bill.collins@prohockeynews.com
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