Berkshire Bees 1 Leeds Knights 6: Oli Endicott finds range again as Knights take sting out of fiesty hosts

The last time the energetic Leeds Knights winger had found the back of the net came on October 19 in a 4-2 win at Romford Raiders.

Possibly taking his lead from team-mate Jordan Buesa who when scoring in last Sunday’s 5-1 home win over Telford snapped a 17-game streak without scoring, Endicott also ended his own 11-match goal drought.

But he went one better, scoring the first two goals in the Knights’ convincing 6-1 win at bottom club Berkshire Bees, in a contest dominated by penalties more than anything else.

In all, the Knights had three players thrown from the game for fighting - Bailey Perre, fellow defenceman, Jordan Griffin and captain Kieran Brown - all in the second period.

But, by the time the on-ice distractions began - Perre was ejected in the 27th minute along with Bees’ player-coach Dominik Gabaj, who was third man in - the game was already in the bag.

Endicott ended his barren spell by getting the visitors off to the perfect start with just 24 seconds on the clock, doubling his tally just under two minutes later, Finley Bradon assisting for a second time.

It was then the turn of Buesa, no doubt invigorated by his long-awaited goal the previous week, who made it 3-0 with 11.37 on the clock, the lead quickly increased even further when Mac Howlett struck less than two minutes later.

But the Knights were not finished, as the Bees were further stung when the increasingly influential Bradon made it a three-point night for himself when making it 5-0 in the 17th minute.

Howlett doubled his tally inside two minutes of the restart and shortly after the first of the trouble flared involving Perre in the 27th minute, the struggling Bees finally got on the board through William Stead.

Another flashpoint arrived in the 38th minute, though, one which saw Brown and Griffin’s night ended early for fighting, with Bees’ Liam Morris ejected on a slashing call.