In a weekend of some high-scoring games, Valkyrs were out to try and grab the lead in the lunchtime mixed Premiership fixture with Bacchas A.
But it wasn’t to be and the Tromode side finished up 3-2 winners.
The westerners fielded a full complement of players, including England under-18 Sienna Dunn, which was great to see. She is still getting involved in Manx hockey and inspiring the future juniors while she’s home from school.
Bacchas, missing the ever-dependable Andrew Whiting through illness, wondered who would supply the goals. Step up Karl Moore to put away two very composed penalty strokes.
It was an end-to-end match and some lovely play in parts, added to the will to win, led to an intense final 10 minutes.
So Bacchas take the lead into the split and Valkyrs will have to wait to try and overturn the last two weeks’ results.
In a repeat of the previous week’s cup fixture, Vikings A worked hard for their 6-2 win over their own B team, who never gave up and caught Vikings A on the back foot twice before they came from behind.
In the third repeated fixture from the cup draw Castletown Celts were not so fortunate as a week earlier, but instead produced a 5-5 draw against a slightly changed Bacchas B side.
By all accounts there were some lovely goals from both sides.
Vikings C got back to winning ways in Division One after going a goal down against Bacchas C, finally finishing up 3-1 victors.
There were more goals in the next game between Harlequins A and Vikings D, which ended four-all in a game of two halves that the strong wind played a large part in.
Buoyant Southerners and Valkyrs C ended all square 2-2 in a game that could have gone either way. But Valkyrs have now gained a four-point advantage over the rest.
The Division Two game between in-form Ravens and Vikings E was good, but the Ramsey side were simply too strong in the end.
Rookies took the advantage in the battle at the bottom, and the two points gained could play a large part leading into the closing stages of the season.
Cammags proved too strong for Valkyrs D, keeping the league leaders three points ahead of the rest.
Division Three leaders Bacchas Colts continued their winning ways with victory over Castletown Carrick.
Bacchas D versus Quins B was a close affair, with the Quins duo of Ben and Sam Cunningham scoring the vital goals that swung it their side’s way.
Valkyrs Colts were unable to field a team so Cosney was awarded the points, leaving the three bottom teams all on two points.
In the under-15 leagues, Sabres have been coming into their own and this latest result proves shows they cannot be discounted after snatching a point off top-of-the-table Quins.
Vikings took on bottom of the league Castletown Sharks who refused to give up, despite losing 0-17. They have some very young and new players, so are only going to gain more and more experience by the week.
In the last fixture of the day, Bacchas carved out a nice 3-1 win over Ramsey, keeping them in the hunt for the pre-Christmas league.