Raiders goalie Michael Gray plays the puck (Tim Bowers)

Our guide to the weekend’s ice hockey fixtures

National League Division 1

Saturday

Bracknell v Romford Raiders (6pm)

Sunday

Romford Raiders v Invicta (5.15pm)

Hornets are, without doubt, Romford’s bogey team this season.

Danny Marshall’s men had won their first 11 league games before their trip to The Hive on December 1.

Juraj Huska netted either side of an AJ Smith effort to put them 3-2 up after 40 minutes of play and on their way to making it a dozen wins.

But Nick Minhinnick levelled early in the final period and Danny Hughes beat Shane Kemp in the 55th minute to clinch the points for the hosts.

Raiders returned a few days before Christmas for a cup tie and were made to work hard for a 3-2 victory.

But Hornets gave them a scare in the return at Rom Valley Way the following night, scoring six times in the final period in a 13-goal thriller.

There was no such reprieve for Raiders when Bracknell buzzed back into town last month, though, as former Romford goalie Chris Douglas backstopped the visitors to a 5-4 triumph.

It was the third of four successive league defeats for the defending champions, but they bounced back to win 4-2 in Cardiff last Saturday, before skating to a 9-0 home win over MK Thunder.

They will not want to slip up again in Berkshire this weekend, with fierce rivals Invicta in town the following night.