It’s a heartbreaking start to 2026.

I’m not on social media and only found out about Darren Cole’s passing when it was announced at the game on Saturday.

I shared lifts with Darren and his nephew Ellis to many away games, picking the bones out of the performances in the taxi back or the train home. Darren always with an insightful point of view or a tale from his many years’ supporting the club he loved. If you didn’t know Darren, it’s likely you would have recognised him, an ever-present figure such was his dedication to following the Huskies home and away.

Someone once said to me that what you get from supporting Haringey is community, and I find myself agreeing with that sentiment more and more as the years go by.  It’s this sport, this club that unites us as fans. We see the same faces every week in their same chosen spots around the rink. It’s jarring and sad when suddenly one of those faces isn’t there.

A huge amount of love to Darren’s friends and family and everyone who knew him at Haringey. He’ll be sorely missed.

It was difficult to focus on much else after hearing that news, but Saturday’s game against Solent Junior Devils was one of near total domination from Haringey.

It was my first time seeing Petr Čech in a Haringey jersey, as he got the nod between the pipes ahead of Dylan Phillips. I remember that 2021/22 season when he played for Guildford Phoenix and being struck by how absolutely massive he was in all his pads.

If he struggled against Oxford in December, there were no signs of it on Saturday. It’s very hard to get a shutout in this league; there’s only been three others so far this season. He looked solid and assured, and you could hear his communication with his teammates from the stands. Something you’d expect from a man with his level of experience. Not that he had a great deal to do mind you, with Solent mustering 17 shots on net all game. Compare that to the 75 that Haringey put on the Solent net and you get a gist of how it played out.

It didn’t take long for the Huskies to get off the mark, going ahead in under a minute. The returning Matt Ganas walks on to the spilled puck in the slot and rifles past the Solent netminder to make it 1-0.

There’s plenty more chances early on for Haringey to extend their lead. As soon as Solent clear the puck it comes straight back at them, with no let up from the Huskies.

Marton Szasz does brilliantly to hold onto the puck around the net and find Ryan McFarlane at the point, whose slapshot gets blocked in traffic.

Robert Rejna has the best of the other chances in the first. Marton finds him on the doorstep, but he can’t convert from close range. A great chance gone begging.

Courtney Grant sees a couple of shots held, as does Ryan Payne from the point. Haringey are putting it on net at every opportunity, but veteran netminder Greg Blais does a sterling job in keeping them out.

Conner Smith does well a couple of times getting down the left wing but can’t find the back of the net. Courtney sends it into the side netting after a great feed across the slot.

The second carries on in much the same way.

Marton and Rob breakaway and head to the net, but Marton opts to go backhand from the left rather than finding Rob across the slot, and his shot’s saved.

Ruskin Springer Hughes has a couple of early chances, one amazingly sending over the bar from the crease. I think he was able to see the funny side!

At the other end Petr stands tall nearside to deny the shot from the Solent forward. He gloves from the right soon afterwards.

Will Nowik’s shot from the right is kicked out, and it’s a point-blank save on the follow-up.

Courtney snuffs out a 1-on-1 chance on the breakaway. He did that very well all game, cleaning up and giving the Solent forwards very little time to get set. Cam Pow and Conner both wind up slapshots but both shoot wide. Will shows great hands to drive the slot but shoots straight at the netminder.

It takes a moment of individual brilliance on a penalty kill halfway through the second for Haringey to eventually double their lead. Conner gains the zone, toe-drags round the d-man, heads left of the crease and shoots across goal, far side. Amazing. 2-0 Haringey.

The Huskies continue to dominate the period but can’t add to their tally. Leo De Souza Saoncella puts a vicious shot on net which is dropped and covered. Matt goes coast to coast, shooting low across goal but it’s kicked out. Pete Toth hammers a shot from the blue line wide. Carl Etuazim is gloved from the slot. Rob spins at the crease but shoots wide of the goal.

Stuart Appleby comes agonisingly close to making it 3-0. Marton puts it into the slot for a diving Stu who sends it a whisker wide of the far post.

Haringey eventually kick-on in the third.

Again Matt is there in the slot when the puck spills, finishing high and right with a well placed one-timer.

Leo has a look from the blue line after turning over possession, and Conner finds Carl at the back who draws an amazing save to deny another Haringey goal.

Ryan Payne shoots from the blue line, and it looked like a tip from Ruskin in the slot that finds its way into the net for 4-0. Ruskin scores again minutes later, this time released by Mac with a fantastic assist, he collects it on the blue line, drives to the net and finishes low from the right.

5-0 on the night, a shutout and a display of immense dominance. But for some incredible goaltending it could and should have been more.

Courtney gets Player of the Match with a disciplined defensive performance. On another night he could have had a goal too.

It’s cup action next weekend. I’m pumped, and it’s brilliant to be heading to yet another Wilkinson Cup semi-final. But if you want to play in the biggest games, you’re going to face the best opponents.

Peterborough ran out 6-3 winners when we played them last September, and their perfect record across all competitions remains intact for a reason: they’re by far the best team in South 2 currently.

A lot will come down to what we can get out of Peterborough with. Even a loss wouldn’t be the end of the world, as long as we can leave on Saturday night within touching distance, then there’s every chance at the Palace.

Let’s Go Huskies.

Photos by Luke O’Donovan