Tom Watkins: Telford Tigers lacked quality in defeat to Bees
Head coach Tom Watkins cut a hugely-frustrated figure after Telford Tigers fell to a 5-2 loss against Bees in the National League on Saturday.
Tigers had seen a seven-game winning run in the league crash to an end when they beaten by Milton Keynes Lightning in their previous outing. But they travelled to take on Bees, formerly known as Bracknell Bees, eager to get back to winning ways.
And that victory looked to be on track when they flew out of the traps at the Slough Ice Arena.
Austin Mitchell-King and Andy McKinney both went close for Tigers before Deakan Fielder did put them ahead in the opening stages of the first period.
They then doubled their lead when Joe Aston fired in from close range during a power play.
But it was downhill from then on for Tigers, who conceded five times without reply.
A late first period goal from Josh Martin halved the hosts’ deficit.
Ivan Antonov then shot through the legs of keeper Brad Day to level game. Bees then went on to claim a comfortable win thanks to strikes from James Galazzi, Niklas Ornmarker and Antonov.
“We went 2-0 up and then conceded five unanswered goals, which I think just about sums up the performance,” Watkins said.
“We lacked quality, any sort of poise on the puck, threw pucks away needlessly so didn’t establish any sort of end zone pressure and when we did create chances, we were slow to get pucks off our sticks.
“I’m yet to see a team score good goals on us, we give up goals from individual mistakes, poor puck management or lost battles.”
