Leeds Knights v Solway Sharks - Kieran Brown relieved absence short-lived ahead of crucial festive period

Talk about tempting fate. Within 10 days he was sidelined for two games with an upper-body injury.

Fortunately, for the Knights – and probably his own sanity – that was as bad as it got, Brown returning the following weekend to help lead his team to a signature road win at Swindon Wildcats.

But no team’s success is down to just one man. Yes, Brown is clearly a hugely important cog in the wheel that keeps the Knights rolling and progressing, but there are other important components, too.

That is why, in his absence and that of Oli Endicott, Bailey Perre and Fin Bradon – away on international duty with GB Under-20s – it was crucial that the Knights delivered.

And while the GB trio were cheering on from afar in Dumfries – where they ended up with a bronze medal after a final-day defeat to eventual winners Korea – Brown was rinkside giving as much support to his team-mates as possible as they, first beat Telford Tigers 5-2 and, the following night, won by the same scoreline at Bees IHC.

On seeing his 148-game playing streak come to an end, Brown said: “It was very frustrating.

"I’d had injuries before at Leeds, but I’d played through them. But this one was a little bit more serious and I had to miss those two games.

"It was annoying to see that streak finish but there was just no way I could have played with the injury I had.

"It was great to get back after just the one weekend, though, but what was also great was to see the team come together with a few bodies missing and produce two great wins.

"The team is not built around one person, we’re a team and they were massive points for us that weekend.”

Brown signalled his return with two assists in the 3-2 overtime win at Swindon.

After a 4-2 defeat to Hull Seahawks at home last Friday, the Knights responded in clinical fashion when the two Yorkshire rivals met again the following night.

Brown got the ball rolling with the first goal in a dominant 5-0 win at Hull Ice Arena, a result which kept them within two points of leaders Milton Keynes Lightning with two games in hand.

The second-placed Knights can draw level with the Lightning if they win their Boxing Day clash at home against Solway Sharks (face-off 7.30pm). Then, for their fourth game in just six days, they head to Telford on Wenesday night.

Milton Keynes are back in action on Wednesday in part one of a back-to-back double-header against third-placed Peterborough Phantoms, who are currently four adrift of the Knights having played two games more.