Leeds Knights 4 Bees IHC 1: Ryan Aldridge 'satisfied' but knows better is still to come from Knights

The previous weekend had left head coach Ryan Aldridge voicing criticism of his team’s performances in home games against Swindon Wildcats and Sheffield Steeldogs - even though the latter brought a 5-0 victorious response against their Yorkshire rivals following the previous night’s 4-2 defeat.

And while he is still left searching for that perfect ‘60-minute performance’ from his team, he was satisfied with the 4-1 win at Elland Road Ice Arena against a Bees team who arrived in West Yorkshire just one point adrift of the Knights.

Any hopes Dominik Gabaj’s team had of overhauling the NIHL National joint-leaders in the standings became harder when they went behind after just 63 seconds when Mac Howlett finished off a sweeping move.

Brython Preece and Sam Gospel then remained solid in their respective nets to keep things close before defenceman Bailey Perre popped up to double the hosts’ lead from close-range at 25.08.

Captain Kieran Brown fired in a third at 38.52, although the Bees remained in touch through a Vanya Antonov reply before the second break.

Gospel and Preece continued to exchange saves in the third, the only goal coming for the hosts in the 49th minute when Matt Haywood made the points safe.

“We did enough to win tonight, some nights we’re going to need more than that but we did enough,” said Aldridge.

On Gospel’s man-of-the-match display, he added: “Obviously, Sam gives us a chance to win every night.

“I think he had to do too much tonight and our D have to better in some areas. But he’s obviously a phenomenal goalie and when he’s dialled in he’s unstoppable.”