Best ever game in the WNIR
- Thread starter Wannabe2
- Start date
The Challenge Cup Final 2006 was special but the one that springs to mind was in March 1990 against Murrayfield. We had won the league the previous week (in a farcical match against Peterborough) and the Racers came to town intent on revenge. The game was played on a Friday night and the rink was PACKED.I have never seen it so busy. Anyway to cut a long story short the Racers had been going on all week about how they were the true champions and they were going to show us up on Frday night. The result was a game that contained more hits than any I have seen before or since and the Devils playing hockey of the finest quality, we won 12-4 and there was no doubt who were the real champions.
That first season Division 2 playoff weekend will always be in my memory bank. The first bench clearance I saw in the flesh against Grimbsy, followed by the loss in the final against Aviemore in what was an absolutely incredible game, where we came back time and again only to lose, felt like the end of the world after that game - only to be promoted anyway! There were a couple of great games against Telford too in the early days, which was a great rivalry at the time. Salmon, Conway, Chuck Taylor, they were bitter rivals. I can't remember the scores but always amazing atmospheres. The Norwich Union Cup game against Durham has already been mentioned - most of us were in the bar for the 3 hours that Durham were delayed, an absolutely incredible atmosphere that night and we almost pulled it off. The Nottingham bench clearance game was incredible - how they got out of the rink in one piece that night, I'll never know. That's several games I've mentioned though! If I had to pick one, it would be the Challenge Cup Final vs Coventry. A great comeback in a game that had it all played in front of a frenzied crowd. Happy days. I loved that barn, especially in the early days before the facilities were neglected.
I was going to say that Racers game! The rink was unreal that night and all knitted out in Heineken colours which just happened to be our red,white and green.
Koopmans was talking garbage about showing who was the best team and we ass whooped them without Stevie Moria who got head hunted in Ayr and had a bad neck injury.
I can remember it like it was last week and we showed the nation on prime time TV next day how much we were THE team at the time.
Koopmans was talking garbage about showing who was the best team and we ass whooped them without Stevie Moria who got head hunted in Ayr and had a bad neck injury.
I can remember it like it was last week and we showed the nation on prime time TV next day how much we were THE team at the time.
There was a game that has stayed in my mind, but only for the ending. Don't remember the year (early nineties im guessing) or anything else in the game but we were a goal down against the Panthers going into the last minute and scored two goals to win.
i think the winner was squeezed in from an angle with something daft like 2 seconds to go. i think they had run into penalty trouble from losing it too.
Does this ring any bells for anyone or am just imagining it????
i think the winner was squeezed in from an angle with something daft like 2 seconds to go. i think they had run into penalty trouble from losing it too.
Does this ring any bells for anyone or am just imagining it????
For me, definitely the 2nd leg of the Autumn Cup v Durham. Our first season in the top flight and we'd lost the first leg up at the Riverside. Return leg was hugely anticipated - we were the new kids on the block (with a couple of quid and the Coopers), they were the reigning Champs! As previous posts have mentioned, they arrived about 3 hours late due to bad weather but nobody left the WNIR. Interesting pre-match entertainment if I remember with a few impromptu on-ice strip tease routines from a few Devils (can't see that happening these days). Wasps finally turned up and we beat them 10-6. It set down a marker that we could live with and beat the best. The rest is history! Fantastic atmosphere, complete sell out and the place was still rocking at midnight.
Yes, this one sticks in my mind also. The rivalry between us at the time was far more bitter than the one we have with the Squeelers I believe, especially as we pinched the Coopers off them. I also remember some pretty intense games with Murrayfield. I used to sit behind the benches in those days and it was always a delight winding Jim Mollard up...who always bit! Great days and very fond memories...but have to say were living through possibly greater!!!! 
