Return To Old Ways
After showing late promise towards the end of the previous season, much was expected of Smolenko's young team in 2008/09. Despite picking up an opening game win against Vectis Tigers (albeit by forfeit) The Lions never got going, proceeding the Vectis game (in which captain Michael Ranby broke his hand) with six straight defeats. To add to the loss of Ranby, netminder George Alley two months into the season and a string of injuries kept the side short benched throughout. This was epitomised in their final game when less than two lines arrived at champions Chelmsford, resulting in a 12-0 loss. The season ended with a record of 8-21-3, scoring 121 goals but conceding 191.
Sergei Smolenko left that summer (replaced by Ian Prince) along with almost the entire playing squad, only James Hatfull and James Scott-Joseph remained. Some players from the original 05/06 squad returned (Richard Hodge and Nick Braithwaite) but, the rest of the team were all new faces acquired following summer trials, the pick of these being Great Britain's women's captain Angela Taylor who would go on the lead the side in scoring (17 points from 14 games). Lee Valley had a rough ride throughout 09/10, only winning three matches (although the Slough win was expunged following their departure from the league). Both in local derby's with Streatham Bruins and Romford Fury (the return fixtures ending in big defeats for Ian Prince's side. The team also conceded a massive average of 11.1 goals per game. New boys Bristol (returning to senior hockey after a break longer than Lee Valley's own time in hibernation) scraped the league on a tie breaker, despite runners up Swindon have the superior goal difference.
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