Leeds Knights coach Ryan Aldridge satisfied with players' response to latest big challenge

RYAN ALDRIDGE declared himself happy with his Leeds Knights team after they brought the curtain down on one of the most hectic spells of their 2022-23 NIHL National schedule.
By Phil Harrison
Published 22nd Feb 2023, 08:11 GMT
Updated 22nd Feb 2023, 12:23 GMT
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Over 10 days, the Knights played six games, travelled 1,384 miles, scored 31 goals, conceded just 12 conceded, perhaps most importantly, took nine points from a possible 12.

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It was enough for the Knights to stay ahead of the chasing pack, although that ‘pack’ may now be just a lone wolf with third-placed Peterborough Phantoms sitting eight points adrift following their Sunday night loss on home ice to Milton Keynes Lightning.

GOOD RESPONSE: Leeds Knights' head coach Ryan Aldridge was impressed with his players' efforts across a tough 10 days of action. Picture courtesy of Oliver PortamentoGOOD RESPONSE: Leeds Knights' head coach Ryan Aldridge was impressed with his players' efforts across a tough 10 days of action. Picture courtesy of Oliver Portamento
GOOD RESPONSE: Leeds Knights' head coach Ryan Aldridge was impressed with his players' efforts across a tough 10 days of action. Picture courtesy of Oliver Portamento
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The Lightning, on the other hand, refuse to give up the chase, sitting second, two points off the Knights but having played a game more.

But having closed out the glut of games with wins at the weekend at home to Telford Tigers (9-3) and, on the road, against Basingstoke Bison (4-1), head coach Aldridge was rightly pleased with his team’s performances.

"You’ve got to be haven’t you,” said Aldridge. “When you sit down and look at how many games we played, how many miles we clocked up - you’ve got to be happy with what we got out of it.

"There are always a couple of points you want back, probably, but there are so many things to to take into account, it’s scary.

MISSING IN ACTION: The absence of veteran centre Matt Haywood threw up a challenge for his Leeds Knights team-mates when they played Telford and Basingstoke at the weekend. Picture courtesy of Oliver PortamentoMISSING IN ACTION: The absence of veteran centre Matt Haywood threw up a challenge for his Leeds Knights team-mates when they played Telford and Basingstoke at the weekend. Picture courtesy of Oliver Portamento
MISSING IN ACTION: The absence of veteran centre Matt Haywood threw up a challenge for his Leeds Knights team-mates when they played Telford and Basingstoke at the weekend. Picture courtesy of Oliver Portamento
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“You have to think about guys who are working, guys being tired – I was tired and I wasn’t even going to work or playing.”

Aldridge said his team’s ability to emerge with four points last weekend without the calming influence of centre Matt Haywood – missing through food poisoning – was particularly impressive.

The 9-3 win over Telford, courtesy of a third-period goal blitz from the Knights, was just what the doctor ordered as far as Aldridge was concerned.

"When we played here against Telford, we needed that kind of performance for ourselves more than anything,” added Aldridge.

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“With Matty out of the line-up, it was actually a good thing for us as a team to face a team like Telford without somebody like him.

“We haven’t been great, we were tired and we didn’t have that voice of reason over the top of everybody else and it was good challenge for our group to face and I thought they responded to it very well.

“I think the guys that I needed to step up, stepped up. Through tiredness or whatever reason, we weren’t great again on Sunday but we did enough to win.”

Related topics:Leeds KnightsPeterborough PhantomsLightning