English National League Division 2 North
Saturday 10th December 2011
5pm Face Off at the Sub Zero rink in Cleveleys
Doors open 4.30pm
Admission: Adults £5 / Children £3
North West ice hockey fans have the opportunity to watch first class ice hockey on the Fylde coast for the time in almost 20 years on Saturday when the newly formed Fylde Flyers take on Bradford Bulldogs in English National League Division 2 North.
Since the old Blackpool Seagulls team left the Pleasure Beach Ice Drome in 1993 and played at the then recently opened Blackburn Ice Arena for a short time, the Fylde coast has been bereft of top class senior ice hockey action. Ice hockey has been played in the resort since 1938 when the Ice Drome first opened, with the Seagulls winning the Midland Intermediate League in the 1950s and the English League North in 1981 and 1982.
Fylde Flyers were formed this summer after the opening of the new Sub Zero ice rink in Cleveleys but so far they have played all their games away this season while the rink was made ready with safety netting etc to allow home matches to be staged.
The Flyers opponents on Saturday - Bradford Bulldogs - were formed in 1978 and have played in the English League since 1997. They are currently 5th in English League Division 2 Norh, having won 5 of their 16 matches to date. The Flyers - who are seventh in the table with 1 win from 7 starts - lost their away game in Bradford 9-2 when the two sides met in October.
The 2011/12 ENLD2N season so far:
10th Sept: away at Lancashire Raptors - won 0-4
1st Oct: away at Solway Sharks - lost 16-0
8th Oct: away at Solway Sharks - lost 18-6 (Veldze 5, Hulme 1, Caunce 0+3)
16th Oct: away at Bradford Bulldogs - lost 9-2 (Veldze 2)
6th Nov: away at Flintshire Freeze - lost 6-3 (Caunce 2, Veldze 1)
13th Nov: away at Hull ENL Stingrays - lost 6-3 (Caunce 2, Clark 1)
20th Nov: away at Sheffield Senators - lost 4-3 (Veldze 2+0, Murphy 1+0, Caunce 0+2, Melbourne 0+)
More info: http://www.eiha.co.uk/Leagues/EnglishNational/ENNorth2.aspx
To hear interview clips with assistant coach Garry Fearon and team captain Wayne Whitby previewing this exciting first new season of ice hockey on the Fylde Coast, click here: http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2011/09/fylde-flyers-ice-hockey-team-prepare.html
And an interview with Dave Anthony here: http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2011/07/senior-ice-hockey-returns-to-fylde.html
