IT WAS a mixed opening weekend for the Herd with one win and one loss.

Bison started their English Premier League on Saturday, 9 September with home advantage as they welcomed Invicta Dynamos.

The hosts dominated the offence in the early exchanges while the Dynamos played a more physical game, appearing to want to unsettle the Bison.

The physicality of the visitors saw a number of powerplays in the Bison’s advantage, and it was with the man advantage that Doug Sheppard’s men took the lead.

Aaron Connolly skated down the barriers before centring to Tomas Karpov who fired in the game’s opener at 9.36.

A procession of Bison chances followed in a display of good individual and team skill but the skilled play was temporarily suspended when Invicta took objection to a lovely hit from Joe Baird, outmuscling Josh Condren of the puck. Arran Strawson steamed in with a hit called as charging and Kurt Reynolds and Harrison Lillis both ended up with roughing minors, the powerplay advantage going to the Bison.

As the first period buzzer ended Bison would probably have thought they could have been further ahead while Dynamos were probably thankful for Damien King keeping them just a goal down in the opening 20 minutes. Shots on goal backed up the flow of the game as the Bison fired off 22 shots while Dynamos managed just five.

After relentless pressure from the hosts it was only a matter of time before a second and that came when Vanya Antonov fed Karpov who sent the puck back to the blue line and Stuart Mogg blasted home bottom corner with the puck in the net before King had even reacted.

With 5.12 left in the middle period Bison scored their third unanswered goal with another puck sent back to Baird who wheeled in towards the net for a Antonov tip to deflect it away from the waiting goaltender.

The scoring was rounded off, with Antonov once again involved, when his initial shot sat for captain Aaron Connolly to make it 4-0.

However, the Herd’s trip to Telford on Sunday, 10 September was not as fruitful with a 2-1 defeat to the Tigers.

Bison started strong with Ashley Jackson netting his first goal for the Herd, but this early advantage was cancelled out when Jonathan Weaver pulled the Tigers, before Jason Silverthorn made sure the hosts came away with the win.

The Herd will be looking for instant revenge as they host the Tigers on Saturday, 16, September.