IT was always going to be a tough test for Deeside Dragons Seconds away from home for their second match of the season.
The Dragons slumped to a 13-3 defeat away to defending Laidler Division champions Sutton Sting.
The hosts made the better start and they opened the scoring in the third minute.
It was 5-0 by the time Lucas Betts fired in his first senior goal for the Dragons on 14 minutes.
The score was 7-1 at the first period break, but Oliver Massey gave the Dragons some hope with a goal just 61 seconds into the second period.
Four more Sutton goals followed, however, and the Sting led 11-2 at the second interval.
The third period saw a similar pattern with Deeside scoring again with a Ben Roscoe goal on 43 minutes and Sutton hitting back with two more of their own to end up as 13-3 winners.
The Dragons were outshot by 66-to-26 over the course of the 60 minutes but netminding duo Leo Hyman and Jake Lowndes – who split the game in goal – managed to keep out an impressive 53 of the shots that they faced.
The game saw a senior NIHL debut for Dragons junior Ruben Price and a Deeside debut for summer signing Callum O’Reilly.
Lucas Betts, making only his second senior start, was named as the MVP for Deeside.
At this early point of the campaign, Sutton are looking good bets to repeat their success. With four wins from four matches, they are at the top of the table.
In second place, also with a perfect record, are Sheffield Scimitars, while Dragons are third.
The D2 Dragons are without a game this weekend and are next in action on Sunday, October 4 when they make the long trip to Billingham.
They are next at home over the weekend of October 10 and 11 when they have back-to-back home games against Coventry and Sutton.
Sheffield Scimitars, overtime winners against Deeside in their match earlier this month, defeated Nottingham Lions 9-2.
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