Manchester Phoenix owner Neil Morris has praised his side’s fans after they gave their team a standing ovation as they lost 9-0 away to Telford Tigers last weekend.
In the third period the homeside were 9-0 up and chanting ‘we want ten.’ In response the Phoenix followers, who were playing with a depleted squad, got to their feet chanting ‘we want ten men’ and applauded the Mancunian side off the ice.
As well as missing players through injury Phoenix were without head coach Tony Hand who was north of the border at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Ice Rink for the retirement of his number nine jersey.
Morris said it was a tough night for his team: “We ended up with just ten guys on the end as we lost James Neil who had to have six stitches in his face.
“Ten men playing 21 men is a difficult ask but we had our fans with us. They are a credit to sports fans, it was quite emotional and they’re what we’re doing it for.”
This Sunday Phoenix face Basingstoke Bison at their temporary home in Deeside, North Wales in their only match of the weekend.
Basingstoke sit third in the table with 12 wins out of 22, only one point behind the league leaders Milton Keynes Lightning.
Morris says the game, the first of five consecutive homes games, will prove challenging for the small squad.
“It’ll be difficult but we continue to play with heart. I think we’re still a team that can pull performances out of the bag when we’ve got a full team.
“Now Manchester have another team getting local boys is harder and we could do with another three boys really.”
Image courtesy of Official Phoenix via YouTube, with thanks.