The only way is up for Leeds Chiefs as losing streak sees them sink to the bottom

By Phil Harrison
Published 11th Nov 2019, 00:39 BST
Updated 11th Nov 2019, 07:50 BST
BACK ON TARGET: Radek Meidl ended his short scoring drought with a third-period strike against Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.BACK ON TARGET: Radek Meidl ended his short scoring drought with a third-period strike against Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
BACK ON TARGET: Radek Meidl ended his short scoring drought with a third-period strike against Swindon Wildcats. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
THE result may still have been as disappointing but Sam Zajac got the response he was looking for from his Leeds Chiefs team on Sunday night.
Read More
Fixtures, results, standings - when and where Leeds Chiefs will play their NIHL ...

Their commitment to the cause was visible on the ice in Widnes in the 4-1 defeat to league leaders Swindon Wildcats, a total contrast – as far as the Chiefs’ player-coach was concerned – to the previous evening when they fell to a disheartening 6-2 defeat at Hull Pirates.

BACK TO BASICS: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach Sam Zajac. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.BACK TO BASICS: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach Sam Zajac. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.
BACK TO BASICS: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach Sam Zajac. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

By contrast, the Chiefs are back at the bottom of the standings after a four-point weekend for Milton Keynes Lightning leaves the West Yorkshire club three points adrift of the playoff places.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ultimately, it was the 39th minute where the game was decided when the Chiefs conceded two goals to leave them 3-0 down.

Radek Meidl found his scoring touch again to register his eighth goal of the season and offer some faint hope for the home side in the 49th minute, but a strike from Luc Johnson just under four minutes later put paid to any comeback bid.

The Chiefs had fallen behind at 11.44 to an Edgars Bebris effort but kept themselves in the hunt and with Sam Gospel back in between the pipes having been pulled the night before in Hull after conceding four in the first period.

SOLID: Leeds goalie Sam Gospel turned away 41 of 45 shots in the 4-1 defeat to Swindon Wildcats. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.SOLID: Leeds goalie Sam Gospel turned away 41 of 45 shots in the 4-1 defeat to Swindon Wildcats. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.
SOLID: Leeds goalie Sam Gospel turned away 41 of 45 shots in the 4-1 defeat to Swindon Wildcats. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

He again proved why he is rated by so many people as the league’s No 1 goalie, but was powerless to prevent Swindon gaining that crucial advantage late in the second, Chris Jones’ effort at 38.12 quickly followed by a Sam Godfrey strike.