(Image permission: Linda Crabtree)
LANCASHIRE, UK – The new NIHL North season continues this weekend with a busy programme in both the league and cup.
Billingham Stars’ home clash with Murrayfield Racers is the standout NIHL North Cup game on Sunday, with both sides eager to build on promising starts to the campaign.
Stars started the Moralee D1 season with a narrow home defeat against Sheffield Steeldogs, before bouncing back with a hard-fought victory at Solihull Barons.
The Racers got their Scottish National League (SNL) campaign off to a winning start with a 5-3 success against North Ayrshire Wild.
The two sides are joined in this season’s cup competition by Sheffield, Hull Pirates, Telford Tigers, Solway Sharks and Blackburn Hawks.
The teams play each other once at home and once away in the group stage, with the top four sides qualifying for two-legged semi-finals. The winners go on to face each other home and away in the final.
Billingham had a difficult time of things in 2017/18, but last weekend’s performances were undoubtedly a promising sign.
However, new head coach Tom Brown believes his side still have plenty of improvement to come.
“We are all still getting used to each other and there is a lot of work to do, but I’m pleased with the guys’ willingness to learn,” he said.
“They are taking on board completely new systems – it will take time to get things right.
“We don’t know a great deal about Murrayfield, but there are no easy games for sure and we will be playing each team exactly the same way.
“We may make a few changes to lines this weekend – the fans will have to wait and see.”
Hull Pirates started their league season with a bang last weekend, picking up four points courtesy of comfortable victories over Whitley Warriors and Blackburn.
The D1 title hopefuls face newly-promoted Sutton Sting in a home and away double-header this weekend, but player/coach Jason Hewitt insists his side won’t be taking their opponents lightly.
“I know a lot of their players, quite a few have been around a long time, the older players anyway,” Hewitt told the Hull Daily Mail.
“They have got Stanislav Lascek and a Swedish import ‘D’ man (Jonas Fredriksson) who looks pretty good, so they won’t be pushovers.
“We are going into it looking for maximum points, but it’s kind of the unknown, which is sometimes a little scary, but we will be prepared and hopefully carry on from last weekend.”
Elsewhere this weekend, reigning D1 champions Sheffield face a tough trip to Solway Sharks on Saturday, before returning to home ice to meet Telford Tigers the following day.
In Laidler D2, Hull Jets head into Saturday’s clash with Altrincham Aces boosted by the news that top scorer Richard Haggar has agreed another season with the club.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Moralee D1
Saturday
Solway Sharks v Sheffield Steeldogs
Sutton Sting v Hull Pirates
Telford Tigers v Whitley Warriors
Sunday
Hull Pirates v Sutton Sting
Sheffield Steeldogs v Telford Tigers
Solihull Barons v Nottingham Lions
Laidler D2
Saturday
Blackburn Hawks 2 v Bradford Bulldogs
Coventry Blaze NIHL v Deeside Dragons
Hull Jets v Altrincham Aces
Sunday
Widnes Wild v Sheffield Senators
NIHL North Cup
Sunday
Billingham Stars v Murrayfield Racers
Blackburn Hawks v Solway Sharks
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