TELFORD, UK – The Tigers will be ordered to plug their defensive leaks after conceding five goals in Sunday’s win over struggling Bracknell Bees.
An 8-5 victory at home to the English Premier League’s bottom side handed Telford a hefty 13-point lead at the top of the standings.
A tigers player crashes the bracknell net
Victory in the next seven games will, in fact, see them claim their first league title in 28 years.
But with his side having beaten Guildford Flames 4-0 the night before, Head Coach Tom Watkins will now demand consistency from his defensive line-up.
He said: “It was disappointing on Sunday. Defensively, through to our goaltending, I don’t think we were great.
“I’m not happy that we gave up five goals at home, as that makes it harder to win. We need to score six goals to beat the other side.
“It just ends up taking ice time away from guys you want to play a bit more, and maybe stops you resting players.”
A topsy-turvy encounter at Telford Ice Rink saw The Tigers take an early lead through Blaho Novak, only for the visitors to equalise on 13 minutes.
Max Birbraer secured a 2-1 lead for Telford at the end of the first period, although they were once again pegged back at the start of the second session.
A second Birbraer strike reopened that gap just moments later, while Dan Scott made it 4-2 on 27 minutes.
Max Birbraer scores for telford
The visitors soon closed the lead to just one goal, before Rupert Quiney weighed in to give his side a 5-3 advantage.
Nathan Salem and Callum Bowley put the game beyond Bracknell’s reach by the 34 minute mark, but the visitors hit back once again just 60 seconds later.
That 7-4 lead was extended by Salem at the end of the second period, but it was the Bees who closed the scoring with a fifth goal on 41 minutes.
Watkins added: “We just have to keep on doing the job we’re doing. We don’t want to rely on anyone else.
“The fact that we’re coming out and working hard means we are putting points on the board. It is up to the others to catch us.
“Every time we win, it makes it harder for the chasing teams to close in.
Saturday night’s win in Guildford, meanwhile, was a statement of intent from Watkins’s men, against their closest challengers.
That result was, effectively, a four-point bonus for The Tigers, as they continue to build that lead at the top of the standings.
Rupert Quiney squares up to Bracknell’s Scott Spearing
Goals from captain Jason Silverthorn and Rick Plant gave Telford a 2-0 lead after just four minutes, as they stamped their authority on the game.
A third strike from Peter Szabo, at the end of the second period, confirmed that advantage, while Blaho Novak rounded off the scoring in the third session.
Watkins added: “Saturday night was a great result for us. I said to the guys before the third period that this was huge for our season.
“We have worked so hard to get into this position and we didn’t want to give Guildford any hope, or points.
“All the guys battled well and fought throughout the game. It was a great team performance.”
The Tigers return to action next weekend, when they travel to Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday, before the visit of Swindon Wildcats to Telford the next day.
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