FIVE goals from former Belgium international Leen de Decker helped Widnes Wild Women to a crushing win on Sunday.
Grimsby Wolves were thrashed 12-2 at Planet Ice Widnes as the Wild moved joint-top of the WNIHL Division 1 North league table.
They join Solway Sharks Ladies on 12 points with a game in hand but face defending champions Telford Wrekin Raiders, who have yet to lose a game, in their next fixture on Sunday, March 1.
Widnes fell behind after just seven seconds but eventually stretched to a dominant win, with de Decker’s goalscoring to the fore.
Sav Sumner also netted a hat-trick, with captain Emma Pearson scoring twice while Kat Garner and Catherine Bowen-Fell were also on the scoresheet.
The Widnes Wild Women's team
Meanwhile, the men’s team have a busy end to the season after several of their postponed games were rearranged.
After their last home game against Telford Tigers was called off due to Storm Ciara and with an outstanding fixture against Hull Jets to fulfil outside of that, the Wild must now fit their final 10 fixtures into six weekends.
They have a double fixture against Bradford Bulldogs this weekend, with Widnes making the trip to Yorkshire on Saturday before Bradford make the return journey on Sunday.
Widnes Wild remaining fixtures:
Saturday, February 22 – Bradford Bulldogs (A)
Sunday, February 23 – Bradford Bulldogs (H)
Saturday, February 29 – Blackburn Hawks 2 (A)
Sunday, March 1 – Hull Jets (A)
Saturday, March 7 – Telford Tigers 2 (H)
Sunday, March 8 – Hull Jets (H)
Sunday, March 15 – Deeside Dragons (A)
Saturday, March 21 – Telford Tigers 2 (A)
Sunday, March 22 – Blackburn Hawks 2 (H)
Saturday, March 28 – Hull Jets (H)
The Wild will be looking to secure a record-breaking fourth Laidler Division play-off title in succession, but will have to finish in the top four to qualify.
The play-offs are once again being held at Planet Ice Widnes this year – the third year in succession that the venue has played host – over the weekend of April 4 and 5.
The two semi finals will be played on Saturday – face off 4.30pm and 7.30pm – with Sunday’s grand final facing off at 5.30pm.
Weekend tickets cost £20 for adults and £10 for concessions and can be bought from the Planet Ice Widnes box office or online.
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