Slow start costs Telford Tigers as Hull seals victory
Autocraft Telford Tigers suffered a disappointing defeat on the road on Sunday, falling 5-3 to the Hull Seahawks in the NIHL National League. Head Coach Tom Watkins lamented his side’s poor start, stating bluntly, “We didn’t turn up for the first period.”
The Tigers, fresh off a hard-fought shootout victory against Solway Sharks the night before, endured a nightmare opening period that ultimately dictated the outcome of the game.
Hull seized control early, finding the back of the net three times inside the first ten minutes. Bobby Chamberlain opened the scoring, quickly followed by Owen Sobchak. Just thirty seconds later, Jordan Stallard netted a third, prompting Head Coach Tom Watkins to call an immediate timeout in an attempt to halt the relentless attack.
The reprieve was short-lived. Patrick Brown's hooking penalty allowed Hull’s power play unit to convert, with Jonny Corneil scoring to make it 4-0. The demoralising period ended with the Tigers facing a significant deficit and a mountain to climb.
The second period saw the Tigers finally get on the scoreboard less than a minute in, thanks to a low shot from David Thomson. However, Hull immediately restored their four-goal cushion with a swift reply from Emil Svec.
Telford refused to fold. Brynley Capps, the hero of Saturday's penalty shootout win, grabbed the Tigers' second goal with a cool finish from the slot.
The momentum continued into the third period. Just twenty seconds after the restart, Caelan McPhee scored a third for the visitors with a sharp shot from a tight angle, bringing the score to 5-3.
Despite sustained pressure on the Hull goal in the final ten minutes, the damage inflicted in the catastrophic first period proved irreversible.
Following the game, a frustrated Tom Watkins commented, “We didn’t turn up for the first period! It’s as simple as that and it cost us the game and the players have to take responsibility for that. We didn’t compete, made too many mistakes and got punished.”
He acknowledged the improvement in the final two frames: “During the second and third periods it was a totally different story. We played with some jump, some presence, moved our feet and made some plays but gave ourselves too much to do. Our performances on the road haven’t been good enough and that’s up to me to rectify that.”
The Tigers' Man of the Match was awarded to Eric Henderson.
Final Score: Hull Seahawks 5 Autocraft Telford Tigers 3 Tigers Scorers: David Thomson, Brynley Capps, Caelan McPhee Match Date: 26th October 2025
