Article by Chris O'Brien | Photos by James Assinder
The history books will show that Cardiff Fire's second season back in hockey's third tier was one of the most challenging in the club’s ten-year history.
Fire - complete with a popular new dragon crest - won only one of 31 games - an overtime victory over Solent Devils. All other games ended in defeat - and often, those losses were heavy.
Elis Sheppard’s side netted 39 times during a long, hard season - conceding 244 at the other end. Over the season, the opposition found the net about once every eight minutes.
And there were some particularly low moments- not least an 18-0 home defeat at the hands of the ultimate league winners and play-off finalists Slough Jets. It was a scoreline that briefly brought the critical lens of Britain's hockey media onto Cardiff's second side.
Indeed, in the space of a difficult few weeks over Christmas and into January, Fire conceded 60 goals in five games, and even the most optimistic and vocal member of the Fire Family would admit things got quite bleak at the Ice Arena Wales.
Yet those tough moments tell only half a story.
The odds were stacked against Fire from the off.
Much of the previous season was spent in an entertaining tussle with Oxford City Stars and Milton Keynes Thunder for the final play-off place - a battle ultimately won by Cardiff.
The decision of both clubs to withdraw from the NIHL South Division One removed that “mini league” from the equation; and meant the remaining eight clubs were all automatically in the play-offs. Winnable games were therefore lost from the schedule, and last season's absorbing play-off chase instead became a fait accompli.
Experienced names were taken from the roster, too. There was a fresh vacancy for the starting netminder jersey from early season; while some mainstays of the squad moved midseason, deciding to play their ice hockey at a lower level.
This left a more youthful Fire largely competing against clubs with bigger budgets, resources and experience at this level.
But despite these hefty odds stacked against the club, Fire were often competitive. The returning Welsh Cup games with Deeside Dragons were both hard-fought affairs, while games against Romford, Invicta and Streatham could have gone either way.
Netminding union Gemma Davies and Brochan Evans were obviously kept busy. Their heroics helped keep many scorelines respectable, while the pair formed a contagious friendship and bond off the ice that helped lift the morale in the dressing room. Between them, the duo clocked up a trophy cabinet full of player of the match awards.
Elsewhere, Bailey Hind-Pitcher top scored with 12 points - including three goals and nine apples. William Thurlbert and Alfie Stone chipped in throughout the season with six goals apiece, underscoring some of the solid squad foundations to build upon. Of the eight debutants to feature for the Fire over the season, six are teenagers. Many will be stronger next season for the experience of a gruelling first senior campaign.
There were moments to celebrate elsewhere in the roster, too. Defenceman Yaqub Barnwell - who played 26 times for Fire across the season - picked up nine caps for Pakistan over the last year - including a debut international goal in the Latam Cup III - a proud moment for everyone at the club.
Off the ice, new sponsors came on board, volunteer support increased, and Fire forged new links with community groups across the capital city and beyond.
And the Fire Family kept showing up too. Despite some difficult results, and the lack of any jeopardy in the play-off race, crowds were often higher than last season - reaching a high point of nearly 1,000 fans for the ten-year anniversary game. Despite the losing run, the fans' loyalty remained.
But change is afoot. Next season, a few of the most familiar pieces of the Cardiff Fire furniture will be missing. Joe Llewellyn, along with club stalwarts Thomas Stevens and 'The Doctor' Chris Fox, have all announced plans to retire - taking a further 16 years of Fire experience with them. And at management level, Director of Hockey - and former Head Coach - Mark Cuddihy is stepping back from his duties; poignantly moving away from a leadership role at the end of the tenth season for a club he has helped build for the entire decade.
So, next campaign, there'll be some big skates to fill. In doing so, Fire must be ready for a busy offseason before embarking on a Brave New World with changed leadership, different players and - fans will hope - a return to better fortunes.
