Caly Robertson backed to make his mark with Leeds Chiefs

The 19-year-old has impressed with his skills and speed since making the pre-deadline switch from Bracknell Bees, but has yet to find the back of the net.

But his coach has no doubt it will not be too long before the young Scottish winger rediscovers his point-scoring touch, having already proved he is more than capable at NIHL National level.

Before he made the move from Bracknell to Leeds, Robertson was one of the Bees go-to players, posting eight goals and five assists in 11 appearances, while also showing his ability to play on the international stage when winning a silver medal with Great Britain Under-20s at last month’s third-tier world championships in Lithuania.

Zajac had tried to bring Robertson to Leeds in November after he had been released by Milton Keynes Lightning, only for Bracknell coach Doug Sheppard to beat him to the youngster’s signature.

As soon as he heard the teenager was available again, though, he was quick to move.

“He just needs that goal,” said Zajac. “I was really hoping that he would get it this weekend against one of his former teams but it wasn’t to be.

“He’s been absolutely great since he came in, though. He’s got a great attitude, offensively gifted, sees a pass and just moves really, really well.

“I’m sure he, more than anyone, would love to see that puck go in the back of the net and it is going to come for him.

“He’s playing the right way, he’s sticking with the process and he’s getting pucks to the net and sooner rather than later, one is going to go in for him and when it does there’ll be no stopping him.”

There is no undue pressure on Robertson given his obvious talent, allied with Zajac’s preference being to bring in and nurture young talent whenever he has the opportunity.

But goals, or lack of them, has been an issue that has dogged the Chiefs throughout their debut campaign.

They are comfortably the league’s lowest scorers with 116 in 40 games, averaging 2.9 per game.

The next lowest average is eighth-placed Bracknell with 3.57, while Swindon Wildcats - now just two points adrift of leaders Telford Tigers - are the league’s most prolific team, scoring 209 in total from their 43 games at an average of 4.86 per game.

Adam Barnes leads the way in terms of goals for the Chiefs this season, with 24 in 39 games, with fellow winger Lewis Houston having the desired impact since arriving in December by scoring 12 in his 20 appearances to date.

Defenceman Richard Bentham is level with Houston, but nobody else has double figures, only former import winger Radek Meidl, who had 11 goals to his name in 20 appearances before leaving in December.

On Sunday, Zajac admitted his team lacked penetration and struggled to create enough clear-cut goal-scoring chances, although that was also down to the way visitors Milton Keynes Lightning defended their zone on the way to a deserved 4-1 win.

“With the team we’ve got here, we don’t have those 80 or 90-point scorers,” said Zajac. “We were kept to the perimeter a lot on Sunday and we struggled to score and when you’re not scoring many goals you have to be perfect defensively.

“If you’re only scoring one goal a game then you’re not going to win many games unless you’re absolutely perfect at the other end and, unfortunately on Sunday, we weren’t.”