Additional Comments:

I don’t have any information about this game, so all I can do is type what was written on the match programme introduction page (author unknown, but believed to be Mike Grafton, AKA Mike Ewer):

“Last Sunday, down at Bournemouth, the Lions proved conclusively that they’re not merely timid forest creatures. After two previous close encounters during which Lions edged them out by the odd goal, our lads really belted the Stags to the score of 14-3.

“It seems that the boys have really got their act together, the whole team were working together as a smooth unified outfit. Maybe the previous lost game against Telford has put them into a more serious and determined frame of mind and shaken out any complacency which might have crept in due to the comparative ease with which they have dealt with earlier opponents.

“Ari and Janne have expressed the opinion that they are capable of working double shifts due to their more demanding efforts in the First Division of the Finnish Hockey League. This is what happened at Bournemouth when Chris and Andy (Leggatt) flanked Ari firstly and were then followed by young Kelly Williams and Martin Bergin. The third line was Freddie at the centre with Peter Doig on the wings. Janne worked sincerely with our defencemen.

“Also on the Lions roster was a thirteen-and-a half-year-old Czechoslovakian named Ludek Smelik who has been turning out with the Juniors. He is big for his age and Manager Mike Smith was pleased with the boy’s performance. He dumped Ramsey and came close to scoring, said Mike (NB the programme gave the name as Ludek Semliki, but I assume the writer meant Ludek Smelik).

“It could be that Erskine Douglas of Streatham Redskins may soon be playing for the Lions, once his release has been obtained. Dougie was recently seen coaching our Pee Wees, amongst whom was his knee-high son, a keen aspirant for a place in the Wizards.

“We caught Gary Bayliss in the workshop the other day, sharpening the skates of our players. Gary is an expert and regularly attended to the blades of the Altrincham, Deeside and Blackpool teams before he moved South this season to join Lee Valley. He also attends to the skates left for attention by Lee Valley skating patrons and they can be assured that their skates, either figure or hockey, are treated to precision grinding.

“Gary says that the only two players he does not sharpen for are Ari and Janne, who, whilst agreeing that Gary does a fine job, prefer to do their own; it’s just something they have always attended to, apparently.

“Talking to Freddie Sandford recently he tells us that brother Alan is suffering from a damaged vertebrae which causes him severe backache and unfortunately it seems that Alan will be out of action for some time to come. We are sure that all supporters will wish him a full recovery and hope to see him back soon.

“Tonight’s game against Richmond, who have already visited us this season, would appear to offer little difficulty to the Lions in their present mood, but no team must be considdered ‘easy meat’, so you can be assured that the Lions will accord the Flyers the same respect as any other team they meet and concentrate fully on the job in hand. We need those league points.”