Nottingham hosted the travellers from the North for their first game in 2011. Whitley Bay have only lost one game this season and Nottingham were under no disillusions that this was going to be an easy encounter. However, they started the game well and were competitve during the first period. The highlight of the period came just before the first buzzer when little Laura Quarton came out of the penalty box (to make the short-handed team grow from 3-to-4) and took advantage of some scrappy play infront of the Whitley goal and slotted home her first ever goal for the Vipers. Anna went a bit crazy and over-excited by the occassion but it really has been a long time coming. Lets all hope it is the first of many. We don't want to wait 5 years for the next installment!
The second period, although fairly even with regards to shots on net (Whitley's 10 to Nottingham's 9) didn't go quite so well for the home side. Whereas Whitley were able to make the most of their chances, putting 3 pucks in the back of the net, Vipers couldn't convert any of their chances. We also lost our goal-scorer to injury. All was not lost however, as this is hockey, and anything can happen. It took Vipers 7 minutes into the third to reduce the deficit to just the 1 goal. Laura Smith, using her very own Weapon Chic, giving Vipers hope that this game was still theirs for the taking. Despite their greatest efforts, Vipers were unable to score any more goals and when Whitley restored their 2 goal-advantage with less than 3 minutes on the clock, it didn't look too good for the home-side.
In the post-match press conference, Coach JS had these words to say whilst playing on his banjo:
Now " Shoulda woulda coulda," means I'm out of time
Coz "Shoulda woulda coulda", can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
"Shoulda woulda coulda" are the last words of a fool