Leeds Knights feel icy blast from coach Ryan Aldridge after derby defeat to Hull Seahawks

You had to go back to November 23 for when the Knights last came off second-best – a 6-2 defeat at NIHL National leaders Milton Keynes Lightning – but Matty Davies’s team continued their recent resurgence by edging to a 2-1 win at Elland Road.

But the end of an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions is by no means cause for major concern, with the Knights still well-placed for a tilt at a third straight regular season title going into Sunday’s trip to Berkshire Bees.

In an edgy, stuttering game throughout on Saturday night, it was the Knights who took the lead in the first period when Noah McMullin’s shot on net was redirected from in front by fellow Canadian Matt Barron to make it 1-0 with 8.16 on the clock.

It wasn’t long before the Seahawks were level, though, a slashing call on Bailey Perre handing the visitors their first power play opportunity of the night, one they took when Johnny Corneil fired home at 10.23.

The rivals effectively cancelled each other out in the second period, with little to choose between them - something born out of the eventual shot count for the entire game which was 39-33 in the Seahawks’ favour.

As a result, it was always likely that one goal would be enough to take the points and so it proved with former Knights’ defenceman Josh Hodgkinson striking the killer blow when he fired home from close range in the 48th minute.

“I don’t think we were good enough,” said Aldridge afterwards. “I think if you keep a team like that to two goals, with the offensive firepower that we have, we should be winning that hockey game.

“Our desire wasn’t there, especially for the first two periods. We had a pretty straight conversation in the second period break and I thought we gave a little bit more in the third.

“I’m just not happy with the whole performance.

“We’ve been lucky for two games. That’s the worrying point. We were lucky in Sheffield, we managed to scrape a win and I don’t think we were good enough here and it’s about the want, the desire and the will - we’ve got to turn it around pretty quick.”

Sheffield Steeldogs snapped a three-game losing streak when they twice came from behind to beat hosts’ Solway Sharks 4-3.

The teams went in all-square at the first break after Mason Alderson’s 17th minute opener was cancelled out by Ivan Björkly-Nordström’s equaliser at 18.53.

Scott Henderson put the Sharks ahead for a second time less than three minutes into the second period and that is how it stayed until the 34th minute when Walker Sommer pulled the visitors level.

Just under three minutes later, the Steeldogs forged ahead for the first time with a power play strike from Elmeri Hällfors but then took a two-goal lead into the third when Sommer added his second at 38.52.

Liam Stenton made it a one-goal game early in the third, but Ben Morgan’s team stayed firm to collect two points.