Leeds Knights give coach Ryan Aldridge reasons to be cheerful after encounter at Bristol Pitbulls

With the two teams set to lock horns at Elland Road in a swift rematch of the previous night’s encounter, Leeds will have been hoping for a similar outcome after romping to a 7-0 win in Bristol.

It was a welcome return to winning ways after the previous weekend had seen them go point less with defeats to Hull Seahawks and bottom club Berkshire Bees.

Those two performances were the main subject of Aldridge’s frustration in the build-up to the double-header against play-off chasing Bristol.

But a ruthless display that saw the Knights almost out-shoot their hosts 2-to-1 will have hopefully gone some way to easing any concerns there may have been that the Knights’ hopes of a third straight NIHL National league title were in jeopardy.

Both leaders Milton Keynes Lightning - coming from behind to win in overtime against fourth-placed Hull - and second-placed Swindon Wildcats picked up maximum points but, ahead of Sunday’s round of games, it ensured Leeds stayed in tough with the biggest claim on their crown.

Less than two minutes had gone in Bristol before the Knights broke the deadlock, defenceman Noah McMullin taking a pass from Mac Howlett before firing past goalie Tommy Nappier.

The Pitbulls barely had time to recover before they found themselves 2-0 down through an Oli Endicott strike at 5.06.

Further daylight appeared between the teams when captain Kieran Brown got in on the act through a power play marker at 26.50, with another goal on the man advantage coming from McMullin - his 10th of the season on a four-point night - with just 27 seconds of the middle period remaining.

Bristol ran into penalty trouble again, allowing the Knights to seal the deal early in the third when Matt Barron struck at 44.41.

Howlett added a sixth just over two minutes later and wrapped up the convincing win by doubling his tally at 54.12.