Telford Tigers' Tom Watkins hails fans after vital win

The Tigers are two points clear at the summit with two games in hand after doing the double over former leaders Swindon Wildcats at the weekend.

They followed up a 4-2 win in Wiltshire on Saturday with an 8-5 triumph at Telford Ice Rink on Sunday – with Scott McKenzie scoring a hat-trick in the third period.

And Watkins said: “We had a great crowd and an amazing atmosphere.

“Everyone here witnessed a very exciting game of hockey between two of the top teams in the league, thankfully with the right result for us.

“Both teams played very hard and laid it all on the line.

“We had a very good start, but I have got to mention their netminder, Renny Marr. He pulled off three amazing saves in the first period, point-blank desperation saves where our players are already celebrating a goal and somehow he managed to make the save.

“We did a good job of controlling the momentum during the game.

“Swindon kept pushing and kept up the pressure all night but every time they scored, we answered right back which kept us on the front foot.

“What a great third period for Scott (McKenzie). Three huge goals and I think it was on three straight shifts, but to grab one when we were two men short-handed is not something you see very often and that gave us the cushion we needed.

“It has been a very good weekend against our closest rivals.”

Tigers started the game in perfect fashion, scoring just 23 seconds in. Ricky Plant showed terrific skill to retain possession while under pressure behind the Swindon goal and sent the puck in on goal, which hit Swindon netminder Renny Marr’s pads and rebounded perfectly for Bayley Harewood to score from close range.

Jason Silverthorn slammed home the Tigers’ second on a power play, but Swindon recovered from their slow start and brought a couple of good saves from Brad Day in the Tigers’ goal.

Vladimir Luka forced a stunning save from Marr with a back-handed shot that caught Marr going the wrong way, only for him to reach back with his stick and deflect the puck.

As the first period ended, Tigers conceded a disappointing goal – and compounded that by letting another slip through early in the second.

However, the Tigers responded to the concession of the goal in the best way, by retaking the lead within two minutes. Danny Rose sent the puck to Fin Howells, who held off some challenges and then shot low past Marr from a tight angle.

Tigers added a fourth, with the combination of Plant and Silverthorn again creating the goal, with the latter hammering it past Marr.

Telford started the third period facing an extended Swindon five-on-three power play. Despite the two-man advantage for Swindon, it would be Tigers that would score as McKenzie shrugged off two Swindon defenders, skated in on goal and hit a stunning wrist shot into the top corner.

Swindon did manage to reduce the deficit to one, but McKenzie struck twice in quick succession to take the game back out of their reach and complete his hat-trick.

The visitors hit back again with 10 minutes to go after Thomas McKinnon had been given a tripping penalty, but the Tigers had the final say on the scoresheet as Jack Hopkins sent Luka clear on goal to give the hosts their eighth goal.