LEEDS KNIGHTS stretched their winning streak to nine games with a convincing 6-2 win at home against Romford Raiders.

The victory ensured the Knights’ hopes of reaching the NIHL National Cup semi-finals remained very much alive going into Sunday night’s derby encounter at Hull Seahawks.

Captain Kieran Brown got the ball rolling at 6.40 before Edgars Vengis – recently returned from making his debut for the full GB team in the European Cup of Nationas in Poland – doubled the hosts’ lead 57 seconds later.

Cullen McLean then found the net at 9.36 to give the hosts a promising 3-0 lead.

But, just 20 seconds later, the Raiders hit back with a quick reply from Austin Osborn and went on to make it a one-goal game through Leo Bacallao just before the halfway mark.

But a second strike from Brown early in the third period helped settle any nerves there may have been among the home team – or their supporters – with Vengis doubling his own tally at 49.51 before McLean did likewise a little under five minutes later.

Knights’ head coach Ryan Aldridge- who had defenceman Sam Dunn back in his line-up – said: “I was really proud of the boys. I wasn’t happy with our middle period but I felt the first period was really good and we did enough in the third to win a hockey game.”