1948 / 49
Face off
October 1947
October
…write up of Fife game
Billy Britt, a 17 year old Canadian-born youngster was singled out by coach Mike Davy for showing exceptionally good form.
After the game it was reported that the Earl Carlson had impressed the Fife club so much, he was offered £10 a week and a job to join the senior-league Flyers (Around £350 per week in today’s money). Despite the tempting proposition, he of course, politely turned down the offer.
Icy Smith, after the Wasps debut performance said he was “pleased with the performance but felt they would have to show better combination and less individualism if they were to succeed in the future."
With their first game under their belts, the second visitors to the Durham rink were Ayr Spitfires. This time, Wasps managed to pull off their win they were looking for, despite being 5-4 down at the end of the second period. A four goal rally in the third secured the win for Durham, with Canadian Gordie Belmore netting five.
November
Next up came Dundee Tiger Cubs where the Wasps pulled off a second successive victory, beating the Taysiders 2-0 infront of a 3,000-strong crowd. The following game was not so easy, as the Wasps played host to Glasgow Mohawks. Wasps did manage to go ahead three times during the first period, but by the end of the second, the Scottish side were 7-3 up and the game was out of reach for Durham.
The end of the month saw Wasps’ poorest performance so-far, resulting in a 2-2 draw with Falkirk Cubs. The Sunday Sun’s journalist, spectating at the game observed: “The Wasps lacked co-ordination and their usual team spirit was not much in evidence.”
December
Wasps, however, sorted themselves out in time for their next game, which saw George Gibson bag his, and the team’s first ever shut-out in a 4-0 win over Perth Blackhawks. Wasps took the lead in the second minute through Gordie Belmore, and never looked back, despite a somewhat of a scrappy game throughout.
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| Row 1, Cell 1 | Row 1, Cell 2 | Row 1, Cell 3 |
| Row 2, Cell 1 | Row 2, Cell 2 | Row 2, Cell 3 |
| Row 20, Cell 1 | Row 20, Cell 2 | Row 20, Cell 3 |
