WE WERE delighted to welcome the winners of the Gazette competition, who attended their first ice hockey game last Saturday. We hope they enjoyed their first taste of Basingstoke’s best-supported sport.

There was a great atmosphere, as we defeated last year’s league champions Manchester Phoenix.

I don’t think it was our best performance of the new year, but picking up two points in front of our home fans sent everyone home happy.

Manchester had come in with a short bench, so they sat back for much of the game, relying on their ability to counter-attack at speed. They are always dangerous opponents.

Our 6-5 loss to Telford the following day meant we came away with nothing to show for a much better performance.

It’s frustrating to put five goals past the present league leaders on their own ice and to fall at the end to a hotly-contested goal.

But as fans and players know, you don’t always get the result you deserve.

Early in the season we lost Matt Selby, injured in a game at Bracknell. We didn’t realise at the time how long we would lose his presence in our defence.

While you can operate a four-man D, an injury or a penalty during the game means one of the three remaining defenders may have to double shift.

Fortunately Muzzy (Michael Wales) has been able to drop back into defence, so I have decided to bring in another forward for the home stretch.

Ryan Watt is a local lad who was part of my championship-winning team when I coached at Slough.

He was a big part of that success and I am looking to him to bring energy and a physical presence to our offence.

We look forward to him pulling on a Bison shirt once again.

See you Saturday!

All the best,

Doug