Season 2017/18 - Playoff's Catchup and Season Wind Down

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog on the NIHL so this one is basically going to be mainly about the North and South One playoff’s so far and also the latest in the race for the playoffs in North and South Two as well.

Let’s begin with the North and South One divisions and following the completion of the regular seasons, here is how the Quarter Final First Legs of the playoffs panned out:-

NIHL North One (Moralee)

Whitley Warriors 2-5 Telford Tigers

Billingham Stars 3-4 Sheffield Steeldogs

Hull Pirates 12-1 Blackburn Hawks

Solway Sharks 4-4 Solihull Barons

NIHL South One (Britton)

Streatham 0-2 Swindon Wildcats

Bracknell Bees 5-6 London Raiders

Basingstoke Bison 6-0 Invicta Dynamos

Peterborough Phantoms 4-1 Milton Keynes Thunder

North One (Moralee) league winners Sheffield Steeldogs were pushed all the way by the lowest ranked playoff side Billingham Stars, however the Steeldogs did take a one goal lead into their home leg, whilst second placed Hull Pirates and third placed Telford Tigers also recorded wins, with Pirates netting twelve in their first leg tie.  And it was no surprise that Solway Sharks and Solihull Moors, who finished on 41 points a piece in 4^th and 5^th respectively, drew their first leg tie in Dumfries.

South One (Britton) league winners Basingstoke Bison were in a comfortable position after they thrashed Invicta Dynamos in Hampshire, whilst second placed Peterborough Phantoms also recorded a decent home win over Milton Keynes Thunder.  Third placed Swindon Wildcats took a two goal lead back to Wiltshire after they netted a shutout win at Streatham, and finally in the tie of the round, fourth placed London Raiders netted a 6-5 away win at Bracknell Bees, setting up the second leg tie at Raiders Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre perfectly.

Talking of that second leg at Sapphire in Romford, well I thought I’d attend it, and it proved to be another terrific evening of hockley, here is what happened in that second leg:-

London Raiders 4 Bracknell Bees 2 (London Raiders won 10-7 on aggregate)

Raiders eventually saw of The Bees in Romford after a very entertaining encounter at The Sapphire to take their place in the playoff semi finals.  The opening period saw the hosts begin the better, however the visitors, who knew they needed to score, came back into it and struck the inside of the post, and it was also a rather feisty affair too, which was no surprise with what was on the line.  However just nine seconds into the second period Raiders grabbed the lead when Matt Turner slid a low shot home from an angle and double the hosts lead on aggregate.   But the Bees then turned this match around and briefly level on aggregate when they netted two Power Play goals, firstly when James Galazzi netted from close range, and then secondly when Josh Martin netted via the back door, and it was 7-7 on aggregate.  But late on in the period Raiders levelled the match at 2-2 and snuck back ahead 8-7 in the tie when Jake Sylvester beat Mettam low on the glove side in what was a very important goal in the grand scheme of things.  And in the third period the hosts increased their lead on aggregate to two once again when Marek Nahlik converted a great pass from John Connolly, and after Bracknell had pulled net minder Mettam to try and force two goals they needed, Sylvester netted from inside his own zone to seal the match and send Raiders into the last four of the NIHL South One playoffs. 

Here are some photos I took of the evening:-

Anyway here are the Quarter Final Second Leg results:-

NIHL North One (Moralee)

Sheffield Steeldogs 9-3 Billingham Stars (Sheffield Steeldogs won 13-6 on aggregate)

Solihull Barons 5-3 Solway Sharks (Solihull Barons won 9-7 on aggregate)

Blackburn Hawks vs Hull Pirates (postponed due to adverse weather conditions)

Telford Tigers vs Whitley Warriors (postponed due to adverse weather conditions)

NIHL South One (Britton)

Invicta Dynamos 1-7 Basingstoke Bison (Basingstoke Bison won 13-1 on aggregate)

London Raiders 4-2 Bracknell Bees (London Raiders won 10-7 on aggregate)

Swindon Wildcats 4-2 Streatham (Swindon Wildcats won 6-2 on aggregate)

Milton Keynes Thunder 2-7 Peterborough Phantoms (Peterborough Phantoms won 11-3 on aggregate)

In the North Sheffield made sure they made it more comfortable second time around as they netted nine in their home leg to win 13-6 on aggregate against Billingham, whilst Solihull won their home leg to knock Solway out of the playoffs.  The ties at Blackburn and Telford were postponed through due to the away sides being unable to travel due to the adverse weather.  And after the NIHL LMC had discussed what would happen with the cancelled ties they released this statement:-

The NIHL League Management Committee (LMC) met this evening to discuss the issues around two unplayed Moralee Playoff games at Telford and at Blackburn. In both cases the visiting sides, Whitley Warriors and Hull Pirates, did not travel citing inclement weather conditions and safety concerns. Both Whitley and Hull have been in contact with the LMC throughout the day. The LMC has been presented with evidence from the non-travelling sides supporting the claim that they could not travel. The LMC also notes in both cases the travel company cancelled the coach to travel away from home. Evidence has also been presented regarding the status of players and their ability to get out of their home locations to connect with onward coach travel to the game. Overall in terms of reports made to the LMC there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the accounts from non travelling clubs are invalid. Under the NIHL Rules of Competition, regional quarter final ties begin on 17 March and end on 18 March. The NIHL LMC therefore rules that in the case of the postponed fixtures on Sunday March 18 Blackburn Hawks v Hull Pirates and Telford Tigers v Whitley Warriors, the games are void 0-0.  Hull Pirates and Telford Tigers have therefore won their respective playoff ties and will advance to the regional semi finals.

So Hull Pirates and Telford Tigers moved through to the next stage after their first leg victories, and to be honest it was the correct call, as both Hull and Telford had big leads heading into the second legs anyway so probably didn’t make much difference to the outcome. 

In the South Bison completed a 13-1 aggregate win over Dynamos whilst Phantoms also waltzed into the semi finals with an 11-3 aggregate win over Thunder.  I’ve already spoke about Raiders triumph over Bees, and finally Wildcats completed a 6-2 aggregate win over Streatham to take their place in the semi finals.

So anyway time for the semi final results:-

NIHL North One (Moralee)

Solihull Barons 3-4 Sheffield Steeldogs

Telford Tigers 5-5 Hull Pirates

NIHL South One (Britton)

London Raiders 4-7 Basingstoke Bison

Swindon Wildcats 4-2 Peterborough Phantoms

North winners Steeldogs again had to overcome a rather difficult first leg away from their own ice as they edged Barons by the odd goal in seven to take a one goal lead into their second leg.  The other semi final is level at 5-5 after Tigers and Pirates could not be separated, setting up a terrific second leg.

South winners Bison took a three goal cushion into their home second leg after seeing off Raiders 7-4 in Romford, whilst Wildcats upset second seed Phantoms in Wiltshire to take a two goal lead to Peterborough.  But it soon become apparent that this would not be the case after Swindon placed a 16 year old who was not playoff eligible on their bench for experience in the first leg.

And although he did not ice, this is what the official statement from the LMC said:-

On Saturday March 24 in the NIHL Britton division playoff game between Swindon Wildcats and Peterborough Phantoms, Swindon iced a player who was not playoff eligible (NIHL RoC 8.4.1/had not played 25% of league games). Therefore under NIHL RoC 8.6.1/Penalties, the game has been awarded 5-0 in favour of the Peterborough Phantoms.

This is what the actual rule says:-

8.6 Penalties

8.6.1 A team that lists an ineligible player on the Official EIHA Team List shall result in that game being awarded as 5-0 to the non-offending side.  Should both teams ice ineligible players, the game will be awarded as 0-0 with no league points awarded to either side.

It is desperately disappointing for the Wildcats, who looked favourites going into the second leg, but now it looked an almost impossible task. 

However they would need to get themselves up to try and do their upmost in the second leg, and here are how the second legs went:-

NIHL North One (Moralee)

Sheffield Steeldogs 5-2 Solihull Barons (Sheffield Steeldogs won 9-5 on aggregate)

Hull Pirates 3-4 Telford Tigers (OT) (Telford Tigers won 9-8 on aggregate)

NIHL South One (Britton)

Basingstoke Bison 3-0 London Raiders (Basingstoke Bison won 10-4 on aggregate)

Peterborough Phantoms 4-6 Swindon Wildcats (Peterborough Phantoms won 9-6 on aggregate)

In the North it will not be the top two seeds going head to head in the final after Tigers won a thrilling tie against Pirates 4-3 after overtime to win 9-8 on aggregate, and they will take on top seed Steeldogs after the Sheffield side completed a 9-5 aggregate win over fifth seed Barons.

South One top seeds Bison completed the job against Raiders, winning 3-0 in their second leg to complete a 10-4 aggregate win, whilst over in Peterborough the Wildcats gave their opponents one hell of a fright, dragging the aggregate score back to 6-8 at one stage, however with their net minder pulled, Phantoms netted the clinching goal to win 9-6 on aggregate.  So although Phantoms lost both games, it they who will contest the South One final, meaning seeds one and two will go head to head.

So the two legged finals will take place as shown below:-

NIHL North One (Moralee) Playoff Final

First Leg (31/03/2018)

Telford Tigers vs Sheffield Steeldogs

Second Leg (01/04/2018)

Sheffield Steeldogs vs Telford Tigers

NIHL South One (Britton) Playoff Final

First Leg (31/03/2018)

Peterborough Phantoms vs Basingstoke Bison

Second Leg (01/04/2018)

Basingstoke Bison vs Peterborough Phantoms

So that’s where we have got up to so far, and the four finalists (Sheffield Steeldogs, Telford Tigers, Basingstoke Bison and Peterborough Phantoms) will all contest the National finals in Coventry over the weekend of April 7^th/8^th.  Basically the winning North sides play the losing South sides in the semi finals on the Saturday, followed by the final on Sunday afternoon.

And as an added bonus there is a fourth game at Finals weekend, as the Sunday afternoon showing sees the NIHL Division Two League Championship Game as the league winners from North Two (Laidler) and South Two (Wilkinson) contest that game.

Lets see who that could be as we have a look at those divisions:-

NIHL North Two (Laidlaw)

Sutton Sting have won the division, whilst Hull Jets, Telford Tigers and Widnes Wild make up the top four and the playoff contenders in that division.  Once the playoff fixtures are done I’ll let you know.

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Oxford City Stars sealed the championship after they defeated their nearest challengers, second placed Solent Devils, last weekend in Oxford.  The top four are made up of Oxford City Stars, Solent Devils, Bracknell Hornets and Chelmsford Chieftains.  Those positions between second, third and fourth could change before the regular season ends, but as a top four they are now locked in.  The remaining playoff places (5^th – 8^th) are currently Peterborough Phantoms 2, Guildford Phoenix, Slough Jets and Haringey Huskies.  Peterborough and Guildford are locked into fifth and sixth and with Slough now locked into seventh, it’s three teams battling for the final spot.  Haringey currently have a one point lead over Bristol Pitbulls and Cardiff Fire 2, although Haringey have just one game left, whilst Bristol have two and Cardiff three.  It is therefore Haringey win their final game, which is against Cardiff, to probably stand any chance of reaching the post season in their first ever season as a club. 

Lets look at the remaining fixtures for the South Two division:-

31/03/2018

Bracknell Hornets vs Chelmsford Chieftains

01/04/2018

Bracknell Hornets vs Cardiff Fire 2

Swindon Wildcats 2 vs Slough Jets

07/04/2018

Solent Devils vs Oxford City Stars

Haringey Huskies vs Cardiff Fire 2

Lee Valley Lions vs Swindon Wildcats 2

Bracknell Hornets vs Bristol Pitbulls

08/04/2018

Lee Valley Lions vs Invicta Mustangs

Cardiff Fire 2 vs Swindon Wildcats 2

Basingstoke Buffalo vs Chelmsford Chieftains

Some important fixtures coming up then, should be an entertaining final week or so before the top eight then battle in the playoffs.

And of course each league has it’s own finals weekend in April, the North in Widnes on 14^th/15^th April, whilst the South in Bracknell on 21^st/22^nd April, so the season has plenty of bite left in it!!!

Anyway I’ll stop talking now and my next blog will come after the NIHL Final Four weekend in Coventry, which sees Sheffield Steeldogs, Telford Tigers, Basingstoke Bison and Peterborough Phantoms contest for the number one team in the NIHL, as well as Oxford City Stars and Sutton Sting going head to head in the NIHL Division Two League Championship encounter.  I will bring you a comprehensive round up of that finals weekend and of course the playoff news for NIHL Division Two (North & South).  Until then it’s bye byeeeeeeeeeee 

Season 2017/18 - March 3rd - 4th

(action from Chelmsford Chieftains 11-5 win over Lee Valley Lions on Sunday, thanks to Nick Alliker for the photo)

Saturday 3rd March
NIHL South One (Britton)
Swindon Wildcats 6-3 Bracknell Bees
Peterborough Phantoms 4-3 London Raiders (OTW)

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Haringey Huskies 3-4 Slough Jets (OTW)
Lee Valley Lions 2-15 Chelmsford Chieftains
Bracknell Hornets 2-1 Solent Devils
Basingstoke Buffalo 2-3 Guildford Phoenix (OTW)

Sunday 4th March
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos 4-2 Streatham
Peterborough Phantoms 3-2 Basingstoke Bison
Bracknell Bees 6-1 London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Chelmsford Chieftains 11-5 Lee Valley Lions
Swindon Wildcats 2 3-2 Bristol Pitbulls

NIHL South One (Britton) Standings
1. Peterborough Phantoms Played 31 Won 26 Pts 54
2. Basingstoke Bison Played 30 Won 26 Pts 52
3. Swindon Wildcats Played 31 Won 21 Pts 46
4. Bracknell Bees Played 31 Won 16 Pts 34
5. London Raiders Played 30 Won 16 Pts 33
6. Streatham Played 30 Won 14 Pts 29
7. Milton Keynes Thunder Played 29 Won 9 Pts 24
8. Invicta Dynamos Played 30 Won 8 Pts 20
9. Cardiff Fire Played 30 Won 0 Pts 2

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) Standings
1. Oxford City Stars (Q) Played 23 Won 21 Pts 42
2. Solent Devils (Q) Played 21 Won 18 Pts 37
3. Bracknell Hornets (Q) Played 19 Won 18 Pts 36
4. Chelmsford Chieftains (Q) Played 21 Won 16 Pts 32
5. Peterborough Phantoms 2 (Q) Played 21 Won 14 Pts 28
6. Guildford Phoenix (Q) Played 22 Won 13 Pts 27
7. Slough Jets Played 23 Won 10 Pts 20
8. Haringey Huskies Played 23 Won 9 Pts 19
9. Cardiff Fire 2 Played 19 Won 8 Pts 16
10. Bristol Pitbulls Played 21 Won 7 Pts 15
11. Basingstoke Buffalo Played 22 Won 5 Pts 14
12. Invicta Mustangs Played 22 Won 6 Pts 13
13. Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 22 Won 5 Pts 11
14. Lee Valley Lions Played 21 Won 0 Pts 3

In South One Peterborough Phantoms retook top spot from Basingstoke Bison after Phantoms won their battle in Peterborough on Sunday evening, this after the home side had beaten London Raiders at home after overtime the night before to make it a four point weekend.  Swindon Wildcats remain in third after they beat Bracknell Bees at home, whilst the Bees kept fourth place after they thrashed the Raiders in Bracknell, laying down a marker as these two will meet in the playoffs in two weeks time.  And Streatham have missed out on fifth spot after they suffered a surprise loss at Invicta Dynamos on Sunday evening.

In South Two their are now just two playoff spots up for grabs after Guildford Phoenix confirmed their place in the post season after they won in overtime at Basingstoke Buffalo on Saturday evening, seriously damaging Buffalo's chances of making the playoffs themselves.  Slough Jets and Haringey Huskies currently hold those final two play off positions, and Jets defeated Huskies at Ally Pally in overtime to climb above them in the table, however they are just two points ahead of Cardiff Fire 2, who have three games in hand, and four points ahead of Bristol Pitbulls and Buffalo, with Invicta Mustangs a further point back in 12th.  Pitbulls missed out on closing the gap after they lost at Swindon Wildcats 2 on Sunday.  At the top Bracknell Hornets defeated Solent Devils meaning the Berkshire side are now just a point behind second placed Devils with two games in hand, and it also means Oxford City Stars are still five clear of Devils.  And Chelmsford Chieftains netted another 26 goals at the weekend, defeating bottom side Lee Valley Lions 15-2 and 11-5 as they continue to hit top form ahead of the post season.

Here are next weekend's fixtures:-
Friday 9th March
NIHL Autumn Cup Final First Leg
Basingstoke Bison vs Swindon Wildcats

Saturday 10th March
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders vs Milton Keynes Thunder
Basingstoke Bison vs Invicta Dynamos
Peterborough Phantoms vs Streatham

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Invicta Mustangs vs Chelmsford Chieftains
Guildford Phoenix vs Solent Devils
Slough Jets vs Bracknell Hornets

Sunday 11th March
NIHL South One (Britton)
Bracknell Bees vs Swindon Wildcats
Cardiff Fire vs Basingstoke Bison
Milton Keynes Thunder vs London Raiders
Streatham vs Invicta Dynamos

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Peterborough Phantoms 2 vs Guildford Phoenix
Bristol Pitbulls vs Basingstoke Buffalo
Chelmsford Chieftains vs Cardiff Fire 2


Just a final note regarding the Autumn Cup Finale, the First Leg scheduled for last Friday was postponed due to the snow, so it was moved to this Friday, with the second leg a week later.  Bison and Wildcats are contesting that final.

Season 2017/18 - February 24th - 25th

(action from Oxford City Stars win over Swindon Wildcats 2 on Sunday evening in South Two, thanks to @pfozz19 for the photo)

Saturday 24th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders 1-6 Peterborough Phantoms
Streatham 10-2 Cardiff Fire
Basingstoke Bison 4-0 Swindon Wildcats
Milton Keynes Thunder 2-3 Bracknell Bees

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Invicta Mustangs 0-6 Oxford City Stars
Guildford Phoenix 2-7 Chelmsford Chieftains
Haringey Huskies 3-2 Bristol Pitbulls
Slough Jets 4-1 Peterborough Phantoms 2
Swindon Wildcats 2 1-5 Bracknell Hornets
Cardiff Fire 2 6-3 Basingstoke Buffalo

Sunday 25th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos 3-4 Milton Keynes Thunder (OTW)
Bracknell Bees 4-8 Basingstoke Bison
Swindon Wildcats 3-2 London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Oxford City Stars 8-6 Swindon Wildcats 2
Chelmsford Chieftains 11-1 Haringey Huskies

NIHL South One (Britton) Standings
1. Basingstoke Bison Played 29 Won 26 Pts 52
2. Peterborough Phantoms Played 29 Won 24 Pts 50
3. Swindon Wildcats Played 30 Won 20 Pts 44
4. Bracknell Bees Played 29 Won 15 Pts 32
5. London Raiders Played 28 Won 16 Pts 32
6. Streatham Played 29 Won 14 Pts 29
7. Milton Keynes Thunder Played 29 Won 9 Pts 24
8. Invicta Dynamos Played 29 Won 7 Pts 18
9. Cardiff Fire Played 30 Won 0 Pts 2

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) Standings
1. Oxford City Stars (Q) Played 23 Won 21 Pts 42
2. Solent Devils (Q) Played 20 Won 18 Pts 37
3. Bracknell Hornets (Q) Played 18 Won 17 Pts 34
4. Chelmsford Chieftains (Q) Played 19 Won 14 Pts 28
5. Peterborough Phantoms (Q) Played 21 Won 14 Pts 28
6. Guildford Phoenix Played 21 Won 12 Pts 25
7. Slough Jets Played 22 Won 9 Pts 18
8. Haringey Huskies Played 22 Won 9 Pts 18
9. Cardiff Fire 2 Played 19 Won 8 Pts 16
10. Bristol Pitbulls Played 19 Won 7 Pts 15
11. Basingstoke Buffalo Played 21 Won 5 Pts 13
12. Invicta Mustangs Played 22 Won 6 Pts 13
13. Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 20 Won 3 Pts 7
14. Lee Valley Lions Played 19 Won 0 Pts 3

In NIHL South One the top two continue to churn out wins, Basingstoke Bison netted another two with wins over third placed Swindon Wildcats and then fourth placed Bracknell Bees to go two clear at the top.  Peterborough Phantoms remain second after they thrashed London Raiders in Romford, and the Raiders fell to fifth after they also lost on the road to Wildcats.  Streatham are only three points off fourth now after they thrashed bottom side Cardiff Fire in South East London, whilst down at the bottom Milton Keynes Thunder lost to Bees before bouncing back to defeat second bottom Invicta Dynamos after overtime in Kent, meaning their is now a six point gap between them now.  It's looking likely that the top three (Bison, Phantoms and Wildcats) will end up finishing in the top three, as third placed Wildcats hold a twelve point lead over fourth placed Bees.

Into NIHL South Two and Oxford City Stars opened up a five point lead at the top after picking up two wins at the weekend and taking advantage of a gameless Solent Devils.  Stars shut out Invicta Mustangs on the road before defeating Swindon Wildcats 2 in a high scoring contest in Oxford.  Third placed Bracknell Hornets had beaten Wildcats 2 the previous night and are a further three points back behind Devils, whilst Chelmsford Chieftains recorded another double this weekend, moving up to fourth after they netted another eighteen goals in the two games against Guildford Phoenix and Haringey Huskies, which also saw the Riverside outfit qualify for the post season playoffs.  They replaced Peterborough Phantoms 2 in fourth after the Phantoms lost at Slough Jets, who themselves remained seventh, whilst the Huskies are in eighth after they beat Bristol Pitbulls although they were destroyed in Chelmsford by the Chieftains the following night.  Cardiff Fire 2 beat Basingstoke Buffalo to settle in ninth, just two points behind the playoff positions, however the top six are looking likely to stay their meaning a battle between possibly three/four more teams for the remaining playoff positions.

Here are this weekend's fixtures
Friday March 2nd 
NIHL Autumn Cup Final First Leg
Basingstoke Bison vs Swindon Wildcats

Saturday 3rd March
NIHL South One (Britton)
Swindon Wildcats vs Bracknell Bees
Milton Keynes Thunder vs Cardiff Fire
Peterborough Phantoms vs London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Haringey Huskies vs Slough Jets
Lee Valley Lions vs Chelmsford Chieftains
Bracknell Hornets vs Solent Devils
Cardiff Fire 2 vs Swindon Wildcats 2
Basingstoke Buffalo vs Guildford Phoenix

Sunday 4th March
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos vs Streatham
Peterborough Phantoms vs Basingstoke Bison
Bracknell Bees vs London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Chelmsford Chieftains vs Lee Valley Lions
Swindon Wildcats 2 vs Bristol Pitbulls


This weekend sees the first final get underway on Friday evening as Bison host Wildcats in the First Leg of the Autumn Cup Finale.  Also on Sunday evening the top two in NIHL South One meet in Peterborough as Phantoms host Bison.  Also third placed Wildcats host fourth placed Bees on Saturday evening and then on Sunday Bees and Raiders face off in Bracknell.  And in South Two third plays second as Hornets host Devils, so plenty of big games to look forward to this weekend!!!

Season 2017/18 - February 14th - 18th

I'll start this week’s blog with my first trip to The Sapphire in Romford as the London Raiders hosted NIHL South One (Britton) league leaders Basingstoke Bison:-

London Raiders 1 Basingstoke Bison 2

I made the trip to the newest arena in the NIHL South on Sunday evening as London Raiders, formally known as Romford Raiders of course, moved back to Romford at the start of the month, and this was their third game in the arena.  And another healthy 1000+ crowd packed into the Sapphire to see if their side, currently fourth, could topple one of the league’s best in Bison.  The first two periods yielded plenty of fast and furious action, with the match end to end as both sides traded attempts on goal, however both net minders were in good form and this meant going into the final period the contest remained goal less.   The deadlock was finally broken early into the final period though when a misplaced pass from the visitors was pounced upon by Ayliffe and he took aim and fired home to give the hosts the lead.  And it looked like this goal may well be enough for the hosts to claim a superb win, however Bison kept plugging away and with under four minutes remaining finally breached the hosts defence when Connolly netted after Raiders could not clear, and then with 1:02 left saw Sutton fire home to turn this one on its head.  Raiders almost found a way back in the final minute but Bison held on after some rather interesting tactics in the final few seconds, and it meant Raiders took nothing from the contest, which was very harsh indeed.  However Bison found a way to win, which is what champions do, and they remain top and ahead of Peterborough Phantoms on tiebreakers.  It was an enjoyable game of hockey it has to be said and a good experience too, will most certainly return to watch more games no doubt.

Here are some photos from the Sapphire on Sunday evening:-

Right lets get into the results for the latest round of matches

Wednesday 14^th February

National Cup Semi Final South First Leg

Swindon Wildcats 3-3 Telford Tigers

Thursday 15^th February

NIHL South One (Britton)

Invicta Dynamos 3-7 Swindon Wildcats

Saturday 17^th February

NIHL South One (Britton)

Swindon Wildcats 6-2 Streatham

Cardiff Fire 3-4 Invicta Dynamos (OTW)

Basingstoke Bison 5-2 Bracknell Bees

Peterborough Phantoms 5-1 Milton Keynes Thunder

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Cardiff Fire 2 3-11 Chelmsford Chieftains

Invicta Mustangs 3-2 Basingstoke Buffalo (PSOW)

Lee Valley Lions 0-8 Oxford City Stars

Guildford Phoenix 7-2 Swindon Wildcats 2

Haringey Huskies 1-7 Solent Devils

Sunday 18^th February

NIHL South One (Britton)

London Raiders 1-2 Basingstoke Bison

Cardiff Fire 2-3 Swindon Wildcats (OTW)

Bracknell Bees 2-6 Peterborough Phantoms

Streatham 5-1 Invicta Dynamos

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Bristol Pitbulls 5-9 Bracknell Hornets

Basingstoke Buffalo 5-2 Lee Valley Lions

Chelmsford Chieftains 6-3 Slough Jets

NIHL South One (Britton) Standings

1.       Basingstoke Bison Played 27 Won 24 Pts 48

2.       Peterborough Phantoms Played 28 Won 23 Pts 48

3.       Swindon Wildcats Played 28 Won 19 Pts 42

4.       London Raiders Played 26 Won 16 Pts 32

5.       Bracknell Bees Played 27 Won 14 Pts 30

6.       Streatham Played 28 Won 13 Pts 27

7.       Milton Keynes Thunder Played 27 Won 8 Pts 22

8.       Invicta Dynamos Played 28 Won 7 Pts 17

9.       Cardiff Fire Played 29 Won 0 Pts 2

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) Standings

1.       Oxford City Stars (Q) Played 21 Won 19 Pts 38

2.       Solent Devils (Q) Played 20 Won 18 Pts 37

3.       Bracknell Hornets Played 17 Won 16 Pts 32

4.       Peterborough Phantoms 2 Played 20 Won 14 Pts 28

5.       Guildford Phoenix Played 20 Won 12 Pts 25

6.       Chelmsford Chieftains Played 17 Won 12 Pts 24

7.       Slough Jets Played 21 Won 8 Pts 16

8.       Haringey Huskies Played 20 Won 8 Pts 16

9.       Bristol Pitbulls Played 18 Won 7 Pts 15

10.   Cardiff Fire 2 Played 18 Won 7 Pts 14

11.   Basingstoke Buffalo Played 20 Won 5 Pts 13

12.   Invicta Mustangs Played 21 Won 6 Pts 13

13.   Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 18 Won 3 Pts 7

14.   Lee Valley Lions Played 19 Won 0 Pts 3

In South One Swindon Wildcats had a busy few days, playing four times, and after drawing their Semi Final 1^st Leg at home to Telford Tigers, thrashed Invicta Dynamos the following night on the road, before recording an impressive win at home to Streatham.  They then were given one hell of a fright by bottom side Cardiff Fire, who at one stage led, however the Wildcats fought back to win in overtime and make it three league wins for the week.  Fire, who had no points from 27 games, went to overtime in both their games this weekend, but lost both, however did pick up two points overall so that’s progress surely!!!  Bison and Phantoms both picked up two wins each over the weekend to remain the top two in the division ahead of third placed Wildcats, and despite Raiders loss to Bison do remain fourth after Bracknell Bees lost both games at the weekend against the top two to remain two points behind in fifth.  And Streatham remain in touching distance of the top four after bouncing back to thrash Dynamos on Sunday night, with Thunder, Dynamos and Fire making up the bottom three.

Into South Two and the top two both recorded easy wins to secure qualification for the end of season playoffs.  Leaders Oxford City Stars netted eight in a shutout win at bottom side Lee Valley Lions whilst Solent Devils remain a point behind in second after they put seven past Haringey Huskies at Alexander Palace.  Bracknell Hornets remain third after making it 16 wins from 17 with victory at Bristol Pitbulls, whilst fifth placed Guildford Phoenix recorded a comfortable home win over struggling Swindon Wildcats 2.  Highest scorers of the weekend were Chelmsford Chieftains, who netted 17 goals in their two games, 11 at Cardiff Fire 2 before netting six at home to Slough Jets, this after they trailed at one point too.  It also meant that there is now an eight point gap between sixth placed Chieftains and seventh placed Jets, meaning the top six are now starting to pull away from the rest.  Basingstoke Buffalo had a mixed weekend, losing on penalty shots at fellow strugglers Invicta Mustangs before bouncing back to beat Lee Valley at home, however it’s unlikely anyone from the bottom few places will make much of an impression on the post season. 

Here are next weekend’s fixtures

Tuesday 20^th February

National Cup Semi Final South Second Leg

Telford Tigers vs Swindon Wildcats (3-3 after First Leg)

Saturday 24^th February

NIHL South One (Britton)

Streatham vs Cardiff Fire

London Raiders vs Peterborough Phantoms

Basingstoke Bison vs Swindon Wildcats

Milton Keynes Thunder vs Bracknell Bees

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Invicta Mustangs vs Oxford City Stars

Guildford Phoenix vs Chelmsford Chieftains

Haringey Huskies vs Bristol Pitbulls

Slough Jets vs Peterborough Phantoms 2

Swindon Wildcats 2 vs Bracknell Hornets

Cardiff Fire 2 vs Basingstoke Buffalo

Sunday 25^th February

NIHL South One (Britton)

Invicta Dynamos vs Milton Keynes Thunder

Bracknell Bees vs Basingstoke Bison

Swindon Wildcats vs London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Oxford City Stars vs Swindon Wildcats 2

Chelmsford Chieftains vs Haringey Huskies 

Season 2017/18 - February 7th - 11th

(Raiders defenceman Sean Barry celebrates after scoring the equaliser for London Raiders in their match with Swindon Wildcats, thanks to John Scott for the photo)

Wednesday 7th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders 5-4 Swindon Wilcats (PSOW)

Autumn Cup Semi Final Second Leg
Hull Pirates 1-4 Basingstoke Bison (aggregate score 4-8)

Saturday 10th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos 1-7 London Raiders
Swindon Wildcats 2-5 Basingstoke Bison 
Cardiff Fire 0-6 Streatham
Peterborough Phantoms 3-2 Bracknell Bees (OTW)

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Cardiff Fire 2 2-8 Solent Devils
Bristol Pitbulls 9-1 Swindon Wildcats 2
Basingstoke Buffalo 3-8 Peterborough Phantoms 2

Sunday 11th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Basingstoke Bison 9-0 Cardiff Fire
Bracknell Bees 5-3 Swindon Wildcats
Milton Keynes Thunder 3-2 Invicta Dynamos 
Streatham 0-2 Peterborough Phantoms

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Oxford City Stars 8-1 Cardiff Fire 2

Latest Standings
NIHL South One (Britton)
1. Basingstoke Bison Played 25 Won 22 Pts 44
2. Peterborough Phantoms Played 26 Won 21 Pts 44
3. Swindon Wildcats Played 25 Won 16 Pts 36
4. London Raiders Played 25 Won 16 Pts 32
5. Bracknell Bees Played 25 Won 14 Pts 30
6. Streatham Played 26 Won 12 Pts 25
7. Milton Keynes Thunder Played 26 Won 8 Pts 22
8. Invicta Dynamos Played 25 Won 6 Pts 15
9. Cardiff Fire Played 27 Won 0 Pts 0

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
1. Oxford City Stars Played 20 Won 18 Pts 36
2. Solent Devils Played 19 Won 17 Pts 35
3. Bracknell Hornets Played 16 Won 15 Pts 30
4. Peterborough Phantoms 2 Played 20 Won 14 Pts 28
5. Guildford Phoenix Played 19 Won 11 Pts 23
6. Chelmsford Chieftains Played 15 Won 10 Pts 20
7. Slough Jets Played 20 Won 8 Pts 16
8. Haringey Huskies Played 19 Won 8 Pts 16
9. Bristol Pitbulls Played 17 Won 7 Pts 15
10. Cardiff Fire 2 Played 17 Won 7 Pts 14
11. Invicta Mustangs Played 20 Won 5 Pts 11
12. Basingstoke Buffalo Played 18 Won 4 Pts 10
13. Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 17 Won 3 Pts 7
14. Lee Valley Lions Played 17 Won 0 Pts 3

South One action got underway on Wednesday night in Romford as London Raiders took on Swindon Wildcats at the Sapphire, and it was the hosts who prevailed after penalties to close the gap to the Wildcats in third.  Raiders also thrashed Invicta Dynamos on Saturday evening meaning they are only four points off third spot, this after Wildcats lost twice more over the weekend to make it an awful few days for the Swindon side.  This meant the top two, Basingstoke Bison and Peterborough Phantoms, increased the gap to the rest to eight points after Bison recorded two victories, over the Wildcats and then Cardiff Fire, whilst Phantoms also recorded a double, defeating Bracknell Bees after overtime and then winning at Streatham the following evening.   Bison have also made the Autumn Cup Finale and will play fellow South One side Wildcats after they saw off Hull Pirates 8-4 over two legs in the semi finals.  Fifth placed Bees did bounce back from their defeat on Saturday to record victory over Wildcats, whilst Streatham did beat bottom side Fire before their loss at home to Phantoms, making it a mixed weekend for the South East London outfit.  MK Thunder took victory at home to Dynamos, whilst bottom side Fire are still pointless after 27 games.

In South Two Oxford City Stars remain a point clear of Solent Devils after they thrashed Cardiff Fire 2, whilst the Devils thrashed the same side the night before, meaning a weekend to forget for both Fire sides.  Bristol Pitbulls thrashed Swindon Wildcats 2 on Saturday evening to go eighth whilst Peterborough Phantoms 2 netted eight on the road at Basingstoke Buffalo, meaning they remain in fourth spot.

Here are next weekend's fixtures
Wednesday 14th February
National Cup Semi Final First Leg
Swindon Wildcats vs Telford Tigers

Thursday 15th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos vs Swindon Wildcats

Saturday 17th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Swindon Wildcats vs Streatham
Cardiff Fire vs Invicta Dynamos
Basingstoke Bison vs Bracknell Bees
Peterborough Phantoms vs Milton Keynes Thunder

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Cardiff Fire 2 vs Chelmsford Chieftains
Invicta Mustangs vs Basingstoke Buffalo
Lee Valley Lions vs Oxford City Stars
Guildford Phoenix vs Swindon Wildcats 2
Haringey Huskies vs Solent Devils

Sunday 18th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders vs Basingstoke Bison
Cardiff Fire vs Swindon Wildcats
Bracknell Bees vs Peterborough Phantoms
Streatham vs Invicta Dynamos

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Bristol Pitbulls vs Bracknell Hornets
Basingstoke Buffalo vs Lee Valley Lions
Chelmsford Chieftains vs Slough Jets


I will be attending London Raiders vs Basingstoke Bison at The new Sapphire Ice and Leisure centre in Romford on Sunday, Raiders are looking to chase down third placed Swindon whilst Bison will look to maintain top spot over Peterborough, so should be a good battle in that one!!!  Plenty of games to go and see over the coming week so why not go and watch some fast flowing hockey!!!

Season 2017/18 - February 3rd - 4th

(The wonderful looking Sapphire Ice in Romford, pictured here as London Raiders took on Cardiff Fire in the first game at the Arena, thanks to Raiders for the photo)

Saturday 3rd February
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders 5-2 Cardiff Fire
Bracknell Bees 5-1 Invicta Dynamos
Swindon Wildcats 8-3 Streatham
Basingstoke Bison 4-3 Peterborough Phantoms

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Solent Devils 7-2 Guildford Phoenix
Bristol Pitbulls 6-2 Lee Valley Lions
Invicta Mustangs 1-3 Bracknell Hornets

Sunday 4th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos 4-7 Basingstoke Bison
Cardiff Fire 1-5 Bracknell Bees
Streatham 4-3 London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Cardiff Fire 2 3-2 Haringey Huskies
Guildford Phoenix 1-2 Peterborough Phantoms 2
Chelmsford Chieftains 12-2 Basingstoke Buffalo

NIHL South One (Britton) Standings
1. Basingstoke Bison Played 23 Won 20 Pts 40
2. Peterborough Phantoms Played 24 Won 19 Pts 40
3. Swindon Wildcats Played 22 Won 16 Pts 35
4. London Raiders Played 23 Won 14 Pts 28
5. Bracknell Bees Played 23 Won 13 Pts 27
6. Streatham Played 24 Won 11 Pts 23
7. Milton Keynes Thunder Played 25 Won 7 Pts 20
8. Invicta Dynamos Played 23 Won 6 Pts 15
9. Cardiff Fire Played 25 Won 0 Pts 0

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) Standings
1. Oxford City Stars Played 19 Won 17 Pts 34
2. Solent Devils Played 18 Won 16 Pts 33
3. Bracknell Hornets Played 16 Won 15 Pts 30
4. Peterborough Phantoms 2 Played 19 Won 13 Pts 26
5. Guildford Phoenix Played 19 Won 11 Pts 23
6. Chelmsford Chieftains Played 15 Won 10 Pts 20
7. Slough Jets Played 20 Won 8 Pts 16
8. Haringey Huskies Played 19 Won 8 Pts 16
9. Cardiff Fire 2 Played 15 Won 7 Pts 14
10. Bristol Pitbulls Played 16 Won 6 Pts 13
11. Invicta Mustangs Played 20 Won 5 Pts 11
12. Basingstoke Buffalo Played 17 Won 4 Pts 10
13. Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 16 Won 3 Pts 7
14. Lee Valley Lions Played 17 Won 0 Pts 3

In South One (Britton) this weekend Basingstoke Bison reclaimed top spot on tiebreakers after they won the big top two clash against Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday evening before then defeating Invicta Dynamos on the road the following evening to make it a four point weekend and wipe out the Phantoms advantage.  Bracknell Bees finally ended their long winless run with a weekend double, winning at home to the Dynamos before winning at bottom side Cardiff Fire the following evening, closing the gap to fourth placed London Raiders to just a point.  Raiders themselves won their first ever match at their new Sapphire Ice and Leisure home back in Romford against bottom side Fire, however they then lost on the road to Streatham the following evening.  It was a mixed weekend for Streatham though as they were thrashed away at Swindon Wildcats the previous evening.  The Wildcats are five points behind the top two in third spot.

Onto South Two (Wilkinson) and this weekend saw Solent Devils keep the pressure well and truly on the Oxford City Stars with victory over Guildford Phoenix, meaning the Gosport side are now just a point behind the Stars with a game in hand.  Phoenix also lost at home to Peterborough Phantoms 2 the following night, hence losing ground on the top four.  Bracknell Hornets remain third after winning their 15th game in 16 as they saw off Invicta Mustangs in Kent, whilst Chelmsford Chieftains bounced back from a humiliating loss at Stars last weekend to trounce Basingstoke Buffalo at Riverside, and leave them six points off fourth spot with four games in hand.  Finally their were also wins for Cardiff Fire 2 over Haringey Huskies and Bristol Pitbulls over the winless Lee Valley Lions.

Here are the upcoming games this weekend
Wednesday 7th February
NIHL South One (Wilkinson)
London Raiders vs Swindon Wildcats

Autumn Cup Semi Final Second Leg
Hull Pirates vs Basingstoke Bison (Bison lead 4-3 from First Leg)

Saturday 10th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos vs London Raiders
Swindon Wildcats vs Basingstoke Bison
Cardiff Fire vs Streatham
Peterborough Phantoms vs Bracknell Bees

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Cardiff Fire 2 vs Solent Devils
Bristol Pitbulls vs Swindon Wildcats 2
Basingstoke Buffalo vs Peterborough Phantoms 2

Sunday 11th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Basingstoke Bison vs Cardiff Fire
Bracknell Bees vs Swindon Wildcats
Milton Keynes Thunder vs Invicta Dynamos
Streatham vs Peterborough Phantoms

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)

Oxford City Stars vs Cardiff Fire 2

Season 2017/18 - January 27th - 28th

(action from Sunday Night's NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) matchup between Oxford City Stars and Chelmsford Chieftains, thanks to Paul Foster for the photo)

Saturday 27th January
NIHL South One (Britton)
London Raiders 1-4 Basingstoke Bison
Swindon Wildcats 10-4 Milton Keynes Thunder
Peterborough Phantoms 6-2 Cardiff Fire

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) 
Solent Devils 9-2 Cardiff Fire 2
Guildford Phoenix 9-2 Slough Jets
Basingstoke Buffalo 4-6 Swindon Wildcats 2

Sunday 28th January
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos 2-5 London Raiders
Bracknell Bees 3-5 Streatham
Cardiff Fire 2-9 Peterborough Phantoms
Milton Keynes Thunder 1-4 Swindon Wildcats

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Peterborough Phantoms 10-2 Haringey Huskies
Oxford City Stars 11-4 Chelmsford Chieftains
Solent Devils 6-3 Bristol Pitbulls

NIHL South One (Britton) Standings
1. Peterborough Phantoms Played 23 Won 19 Pts 40
2. Basingstoke Bison Played 21 Won 18 Pts 36
3. Swindon Wildcats Played 21 Won 15 Pts 33
4. London Raiders Played 21 Won 13 Pts 26
5. Bracknell Bees Played 21 Won 11 Pts 23
6. Streatham Played 22 Won 10 Pts 21
7. Milton Keynes Thunder Played 25 Won 7 Pts 20
8. Invicta Dynamos Played 21 Won 6 Pts 15
9. Cardiff Fire Played 23 Won 0 Pts 0

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson) Standings
1. Oxford City Stars Played 19 Won 17 Pts 34
2. Solent Devils Played 17 Won 15 Pts 31
3. Bracknell Hornets Played 15 Won 14 Pts 28
4. Peterborough Phantoms 2 Played 18 Won 12 Pts 24
5. Guildford Phoenix Played 17 Won 11 Pts 23
6. Chelmsford Chieftains Played 14 Won 9 Pts 18
7. Slough Jets Played 20 Won 8 Pts 16
8. Haringey Huskies Played 18 Won 8 Pts 16
9. Cardiff Fire 2 Played 14 Won 6 Pts 12
10. Invicta Mustangs Played 19 Won 5 Pts 11
11. Bristol Pitbulls Played 15 Won 5 Pts 11
12. Basingstoke Buffalo Played 16 Won 4 Pts 10
13. Swindon Wildcats 2 Played 16 Won 3 Pts 7
14. Lee Valley Lions Played 16 Won 0 Pts 3

In South One (Britton) this weekend Peterborough Phantoms built up a four point lead over second placed Basingstoke Bison by defeating bottom side Cardiff Fire twice, netting 15 goals in the two games.  Bison themselves scored a 4-1 success at London Raiders to bounce back from last weekend's loss at Swindon Wildcats.  The Raiders also bounced back by winning at Invicta Dynamos, meaning they hold onto that fourth place, three points ahead of Bracknell Bees.  Third placed Wildcats recorded two wins this weekend as well, netting ten at home to Milton Keynes Thunder before going to MK and defeating them for a second time in 24 hours, meaning they remain third.  Fifth placed Bees continue to struggle after they lost at home to Streatham, who themselves are now up to sixth and just two points behind the Bracknell side, whilst finally Cardiff Fire are still pointless after that double thrashing at the hands of The Phantoms, meaning it's 23 losses out of 23 so far.

Into South Two (Wilkinson) and Oxford City Stars annihilated Chelmsford Chieftains on Sunday to really lay down a marker in the division if they already hadn't of.  That's Chieftains fifth defeat, and second against The Stars, meaning they remain in sixth spot, and six points behind the top four now.  Starts themselves have a three point lead over Solent Devils at the summit, with the Devils recording two impressive home wins over the weekend against Cardiff Fire 2 and Bristol Pitbulls, whilst fourth placed Peterborough Phantoms 2 netted ten in their home success against Haringey Huskies.  Fifth placed Guildford Phoenix netted a big home win over Slough Jets, whilst down at the bottom Swindon Wildcats 2 netted only their third win in 16 after they won at Basingstoke Buffalo, meaning they are now just two points behind them in the table, and now four ahead of bottom side Lee Valley Lions.

Here are the fixtures for this weekend
Saturday 3rd February
NIHL One South (Britton)
London Raiders vs Cardiff Fire
Bracknell Bees vs Invicta Dynamos
Swindon Wildcats vs Streatham
Basingstoke Bison vs Peterborough Phantoms

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Solent Devils vs Guildford Phoenix
Bristol Pitbulls vs Lee Valley Lions
Invicta Mustangs vs Bracknell Hornets

Sunday 4th February
NIHL South One (Britton)
Invicta Dynamos vs Basingstoke Bison
Cardiff Fire vs Bracknell Bees
Streatham vs London Raiders

NIHL South Two (Wilkinson)
Cardiff Fire 2 vs Haringey Huskies
Guildford Phoenix vs Peterborough Phantoms 2
Chelmsford Chieftains vs Basingstoke Buffalo

One final thing i'd like to say is London Raiders home game with Cardiff Fire on Saturday is their first game at their new home back in Romford at Sapphire Ice and Leisure.  The Raiders, formally known as the Romford Raiders, moved out of their old Rom Valley Way home a few years ago and relocated to Lee Valley and renamed themselves London Raiders.  But now they are back in Romford so good luck to them and let's hope for their sakes they get a win in their first outing at their new home.  They are playing Fire, who have lost all 23 games this season, so you would fancy them grabbing that win as well.