KEEP PUSHING: Player-coach Dave Williams. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography.
DAVE WILLIAMS is looking for Bradford Bulldogs to maintain that winning feeling this weekend when they welcome Kingston Sharks to The Pound for a second time this season.
The Bulldogs made it back-to-back wins over Widnes Wild 2 when the teams met in Cheshire last Saturday, the hard-fought 5-4 win coming just a week after a 5-2 win over the same opponents on home ice.
Yorkshire derby rivals Kingston were visitors to Bradford on the opening night of the NIHL North Two campaign when the Bulldogs prevailed 7-4.
After losing the subsequent three games against the current top three of Sutton Sting, Sheffield Scimitars 2 and Coventry NIHL Blaze, the Bulldogs have found that winning knack again, taking them up to fourth in the standings.
And player-coach WIlliams says consistency will be key to driving the team’s push to make the play-offs for the first time in three years.
“We had a bit of a rough patch there against teams that I expect to be fighting it out at the top of the standings come the end of the season,” said Williams.
—————————— WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR CLASH WITH THE SHARKS EARLIER IN THE SEASON ABOVE ———————————
“But our aim as a team has to become a good match-up for them and I’m hoping that the past couple of weeks have given us the confidence to believe we can be a top-half team this season.
“We’ve shown some positive signs in the past couple of games and we need to build on that.
“We beat Kingston on the opening night and we put in a good performance. But that’s not a guarantee this time around.
“We need to show the right commitment and intensity that we’ve shown we can produce at times and do it across the entire 60 minutes.”
It was Connor Medley who led the way in Widnes last Saturday, scoring the first two goals before captain Paul Lane ensured the visitors would take a 3-0 lead into the first break.
The Wild hit back to make it a one-goal game in the second through Cody Ogden’s double, only for the Bulldogs to restore their three-goal advantage with goals from Josh Stockton and Chris Waites.
The game was far from done, however, Widnes again hitting back with goals from Connor Bennett and Luke Alston to ensure some late nerves on the visitors’ bench, but the Bulldogs saw the game out to ensure they collected all three points.
Face-off is 5.30pm, with doors opening at 4.45pm. TICKET DETAILS (pay cash or card on the door): 🔴 Adults: £6 ⚫️ Under 5-16s, students and OAPs: £3; 🟡 Family ticket (2 adults, 2 U-16s): £14; ⚪️ Kids (Under-5): for a QUID!