Welcome to tonight’s Sunday match up against the Guildford Flames. There’s no easy games in the league this season but this weekend, with the Lightning last night in their own rink and the Flames tonight here, is certainly a tough weekend.
As you’ll know by now, which came too late for last week’s programme, the Jets have entered into a new era of management following Sylvia’s resignation and I’d just like to take the opportunity of thanking Sylvia for her hard work in her time as GM. She’s a lady passionate about the Slough Jets and hopefully we’ll see her continuing in her unquestioned support of the team.
Tonight we face the Flames and this game usually sees a large crowd here at the Hangar but tonight we play on the “wrong” night of the weekend. We’ve played recently against Sheffield and Telford and neither has travelled with large numbers of supporters then when we finally get a match up that should bring a large support and that draws out the Jets fans who select which games they’ll watch it’s put on a Sunday night meaning that families will think twice as tomorrow’s a school day.
Last weekend we played Telford at home on Saturday and ran out 6-1 winners and then Sunday night was the long trip to Sheffield where we came home with a 1-3 win. That’s another four point weekend completed and an eight game winning streak to take into this weekend. Last night at MK will have been no easy feat, the Lightning always has been a well drilled team, they have talent on their roster and they are always a challenge on their home ice.
Tonight, after a tough match last night we face the Guildford Flames. So far we’ve won on their ice and they’ve won on our ice so we’re looking for our first home win of the season against them. While we played in MK last night Guildford played against Manchester at the Spectrum so last night will have been a tough test for both of tonight’s teams. It also further raises the question of why we as a traditional Saturday home team play Guildford, a traditional Sunday home team here on a Sunday.
It’s been a few weeks since Guildford were last at the Hangar. They were the first team we introduced the noisiest block competition against and on that night their block scooped the prize. We’ve done the competition every week since and I have no doubt in my mind that the Jets fans are a lot louder now. Tonight will be a tough test on the noisiest block as the visitors pack themselves closely together meaning they can concentrate their noise where the home fans are more scattered around the rink. Last week we went “for the glory” and Block C took the honours for the second time in a row, I hope that this weekend we’ll have the prize back and obviously I hope for a home win in both the noisiest block and the game!
Don’t forget to get involved in the 50/50, Shirt Off His Back and Chuck the Duck as well tonight and most importantly enjoy the game
My team, your team, OUR TEAM
Mark
