Leeds Knights coach Ryan Aldridge hails season's 'best' after derby win against Hull Seahawks
RYAN ALDRIDGE hailed Leeds Knights’ “best” performance of the season as they enjoyed derby delight over Yorkshire rivals Hull Seahawks.
The Knights had suffered a chastening 6-2 defeat at the hands of their other derby rivals Sheffield Steeldogs just four nights earlier at The Castle.
But they bounced back in impressive fashion with a fully-deserved 5-1 win over Matty Davies’s team on Thursday night.
Captain Kieran Brown led the way with a hat-trick, while teenager Daragh Spawforth and Latvian import forward Arturs Mickevics also got on the scoresheet.
Johnny Corneil offered hope for the visitors with his second period power play strike but it was a night to quickly forget for Hull, who saw their four-game winning streak ended.
“I think that’s the best we’ve played all year to be honest,” said Knights’ head coach Aldridge. “I think we had a bit of our old self back and I was really happy from start to finish - everybody played their part and some guys really stepped up. The boys were brilliant.”
Aldridge had urged his players to step up and take more responsibility in the wake of the Steeldogs defeat and he was pleased with the reaction he got in front of a lively home crowd.
“We talked a lot about the Sunday game, what we needed to be better at but I think it’s just our mentality,” he added.
“Obviously we’re a young group and whatever has been said has been said - but we got the reaction that we needed.”
Not surprisingly, the Knights head coach was pleased with the contribution from his captain, who dropped the gloves with former Knights team-mate Jamie Chilcott in the second period, a contribution which complimented a hat-trick that took his tally for the season to 15 goals in 13 games.
“Kieran was great,” added Aldridge. “He got a little bit frustrated at times and I think there were some players sent out there to try and agitate him and get him going a little bit.
“But sometimes you wake up the wolf and he was a predator around the net again and he stuck up for himself.
“I just thought he was brilliant from start to finish, same as everybody else.”