Leeds Knights: Why coach Ryan Aldridge doesn't expect Swindon Wildcats to disappear from title race

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RYAN ALDRIDGE believes former club Swindon Wildcats have what it takes to stay in the three-horse race for the NIHL National league title.

With 15 regular season games remaining, Aldridge’s Leeds Knights team are one point ahead of their Wiltshire rivals, who have played a game more.

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Leeds briefly returned to the top of the standings after Friday night’s 7-3 comeback triumph at Sheffield Steeldogs, only to see Milton Keynes Lightning replace them 24 hours later on the back of a comfortable 8-0 home win over Solway Sharks.

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WE MEET AGAIN: Leeds Knights' captain Kieran Brown celebrates one of his four goals in November's 5-4 win over Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Ben Gordon/Knights Media.WE MEET AGAIN: Leeds Knights' captain Kieran Brown celebrates one of his four goals in November's 5-4 win over Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Ben Gordon/Knights Media.
WE MEET AGAIN: Leeds Knights' captain Kieran Brown celebrates one of his four goals in November's 5-4 win over Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Ben Gordon/Knights Media.

Swindon dropped what could prove to be a vital point, though, when they lost out 4-3 in overtime at home to bottom club Berkshire Bees, who are relishing having a big say in where the regular season title will end up, having also recently beaten both Leeds and Milton Keynes in recent weeks.

The Wildcats have twice finished second in the NIHL National era, finishing runners-up – by some distance – to Telford Tigers on each occasion.

But this season they look to have the legs to last the distance with their title rivals.

“They’ve got a different mentality this year,” said Aldridge, who coached his hometown club from 2008-15. “When we have played them this year, you can see how tight a group they are - everybody is team first.

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TOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: Ryan Aldridge is expecting another tough game against Swindon Wildcats on Sunday night. Picture Jacob Lowe/Knights Media.TOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: Ryan Aldridge is expecting another tough game against Swindon Wildcats on Sunday night. Picture Jacob Lowe/Knights Media.
TOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: Ryan Aldridge is expecting another tough game against Swindon Wildcats on Sunday night. Picture Jacob Lowe/Knights Media.

“So I think they’ve probably turned a corner and they are tough games every time you play them and every weekend you look around for the results and they’ve won again, so I think they are in for the long haul and the next three weeks are going to be massive.”

After Sunday’s last meeting of the regular season between the two at Elland Road tomorrow, Leeds face a double-header weekend against the Lightning before they turn their attentions to the two-legged NIHL National Cup final against Romford Raiders on February 15-16.

That weekend also sees Swindon and Milton Keynes face-off against each other after all of which the size of the Knights’ task in clinching a third straight title should be a lot clearer.

“It is more relentless and the pressure is perhaps a bit higher,” added Aldridge. “There are three teams in it, all of who can beat each other but who can also be beaten by anybody - as we’ve seen all year.”

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Both previous meetings at Elland Road between Leeds and Swindon have ended with one-goal wins for the hosts, the most recent a 3-2 overtime win in December.

Two weeks ago, Swindon beat the Knights 5-1 at The Link Centre.

“I expect it to be similar in terms of how close it has been previously at our place,” said Aldridge. “We were obviously disappointed with the way we played in Swindon, it wasn’t us. “We’ve got to be us to give ourselves a chance and we weren’t that night.

“We looked at the video and broke the stats down and we can’t afford to be like that in our building on Sunday.”

For tickets to Sunday night’s clash against Swindon Wildcats at ‘The Castle’ go HERE

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