IT HAS been a tough start to the 2025-26 NIHL North One campaign for Leeds Knights 2 – and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend.

Given they have lost five of their first six matches, some may be inclined to feel that a double-header weekend against an unbeaten Deeside Dragons side may be the last thing the Knights need right now - but head coach Davey Lawrence doesn’t agree.

“It’s the last couple of games in this tough run that we’ve got,” said Lawrence, whose team lost 7-2 at home to early-season leaders Blackburn Hawks last Saturday.

“I’ve watched a few of Deeside’s games back and although they’re winning, they’re not winning by big margins.

LEADING MAN: Owen Dell (right) scored twice against Blackburn to make himself the leading goalscorer for Leeds Knights 2 after six games this season. Picture: Kev Bland/Knights Media.

placeholder image — LEADING MAN: Owen Dell (right) scored twice against Blackburn to make himself the leading goalscorer for Leeds Knights 2 after six games this season. Picture: Kev Bland/Knights Media.

“Widnes pushed them really close in Deeside on the weekend, it was a game that went into overtime and could have swung either way.

“We’ve got to make sure we get a good start on Saturday, we’ve got to lean on our good habits as a group and hopefully that turns the tide a little.

“It’s at our rink, so it’s on us to make a game of it. We’ll worry about Sunday at their place - it’s on a bigger rink, so we’ll need to adjust a little bit.”

Chief threat for the Dragons - who visit Leeds on Saturday before hosting their West Yorkshire rivals 24 hours later - is former Leeds Knights’ favourite, Jake Witkowski.

GAME ON: Head coach Davey Lawrence (centre) believes his young Leeds Knights 2 team can cause Deeside Dragons problems. Picture: Kev Bland/Knights Media.

The 29-year-old American won two NIHL National league titles and a play-off crown with the Knights’ first team across two seasons between 2022-24.

So far this season, the Dragons’ player-coach has 13 goals and seven assists in just five games.

“Whenever Jake is out there he’s a threat,” added Lawrence. “So you’ve got to be wary of where he is and that you’ve got him where you want him to be.

“Other than that, it’s about us playing our game, playing the right way and playing with the right attitude and details that will allow us to be in the game, by creating more offensively and holding the fort defensively.”

If the Knights are to have any chance of winning, Lawrence says it is imperative that they cut out the frustrating and all-too-familiar mistakes which saw them come a distant second to Blackburn.

“We were in it for parts of the game but in other parts we just let ourselves down, it’s the same mistakes or similar mistakes,” added Lawrence.

“We’ve got to sort it out. It’s tough but it’s a learning curve as well. A lot of the players are young and stepping into senior hockey for the first time for the most part, so it is expected a little bit but a lot of it is down to application and mindset on their part.”