They now turn their attention to lifting the Tom Smith Memorial Trophy when hosting their own pre-season tournament this coming weekend.

Despite losing 1-0 to Fife Flyers in their opening game last weekend, the Warriors progressed to the semi-final after beating Solway Sharks (3-1), Dundee Tigers (5-0) and Blackburn Hawks (2-1).

That qualified Whitley for a last four meeting with the Lancashire side, but this time the Warriors cruised to a victory, scoring six times without reply to set up a final against the host club, who had beaten Fife 3-1 in the other semi.

Three times Whitley found themselves two goals in arrears against the Sharks as they trailed 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2, before final period goals from Andrew Tindale and Nathan Salem (short-handed) sent the game into sudden-death overtime.

With neither side able to break the deadlock, Salem and Robert Chalmers (Solway) both scored in the best of three penalty shoot-out and it needed a further 15 attempts from each side before David Barrett secured the trophy for the Warriors.

"I couldn't fault the effort from anyone on my team this weekend," said jubilant Warriors coach Simon Leach afterwards.

"The new players and young lads brought into the squad all played their part and this win gives us great confidence for the season ahead.

"Now we are looking for a similar result this weekend, and if all the sides put as much effort into the tournament as the five teams did in Dumfries, we should be in for a very good couple of days of ice hockey."

The Warriors face Billingham Bombers in the opening game on Saturday night (face-off 6pm), followed by Newcastle ENL Vipers v Solway Sharks with Billingham v Solway concluding the first day programme.

Whitley v Solway gets the Sunday session underway at 4pm, Newcastle then meet Billingham and the round robin section of the tournament is concluded with a Tyneside derby, leaving the leading two sides to contest the final.

All group games are played over two 15-minute periods, with the final set for two 20-minute periods at around 8pm on Sunday night.

Tickets, priced at £5, are available on the door each day.

Off the ice there was good news for Warriors fans with Sam Zajac looking likely to stay with the coast side after his move to Telford was called off.