North Ayrshire Wild coach Domenico De Simone insists he’s taken more positives than negatives despite seeing his team suffer another two losses.

Wild remain bottom of the table after being shutout 3-0 at home to Aberdeen Lynx on Saturday then going down 10-4 at Dundee Tigers.

But De Simone, who is still looking for his first win since taking over last month, reckons penalty trouble on Saturday played a part in their overall situation.

“There are signs of life in the team and we’re never given up, in any shift,” he said. “Even after playing the top two teams in the league over the weekend, we held our own at times.

“The most positive thing for me was the effort the boys put in.  They gave everything they had and as a coach, that’s the one thing you ask for.

“We took too many penalties on Saturday which had a knock-on effect on Sunday, which told in the latter end of the game in Dundee.

“To tire in a game like that is always going to cost you goals, but I can say that I took far more positives from the weekend than negatives.”

Wild welcomed Lynx to Auchenharvie on Saturday, but saw no way through against the title challengers despite their best efforts as the visitors left with a 3-0 win.

In-form James DeMeo opened the scoring in the first period, before Tom Johnston and Jonathan Hogan added further goals in the second and third sessions respectively, allowing Lynx to stay on top on Saturday.

Wild went to Dundee Tigers on Sunday with four points available, with the situation over ice on Tayside and although stayed in the game for much of it, Tigers found an extra in the third to take the result 10-4.

It was the first time in eight games Wild had scored four, with Ryan Campbell, Dylan Murray, Jamie Miller and Jamie Sturrock all finding the net.

However a Ross McIntosh hat-trick and doubles from Andrew Henderson and Callum Turnbull contributed to a big home for Tigers, who overtook Lynx at the top of the table, going two points clear by Sunday night.

It more than made up for their showing at Murrayfield the day before when Edinburgh Capitals put nine past them in a 9-5 game that left Dundee Tigers stunned.

A five-point night for Chad Smith (2+3) and a four-point game for Joel Gautschi (1+3) along with a double for Aaron Robertson helped the Caps to three wins from their last four SNL games.

Three goals in the space of four third period minutes made the difference, despite John Gordon (2), Ross McIntosh, Callum Turnbull and Paul Guilcher all finding the net for Tigers.

It was a night of nines across the SNL on Saturday, with Edinburgh not the only team to score that particular magic number.

Dundee Comets did it on their visit to Kilmarnock Thunder, as Lewis Stewart, John Dolan  and Richard Hartmann Jr all helping in their 9-5 win at The Galleon

The result was supplemented by strikes from Scott Geddes, Lewis Neave and Billy Baxter to keep them on the heels of the top two in the title race.

Kilmarnock enjoyed a third period flurry of goals, but despite Marc Fowley’s double and one each for Struan Forbes, Innes Gallacher and Marcus Murdoch, Comets ran out good winners in the end.

For Paisley Pirates, they were on ‘cloud nine’ too as they picked up an impressive 9-1 win over Kirkcaldy Kestrels on the road.

They surged into a 4-0 first period lead through Martyn Guy, Ryan Parkin, scoring the first two of his hat-trick and one from Gary Parker.

Garry Simpson, Mikey Dobson and Parker’s second put the game beyond doubt in the second period.

Kestrels’ only response came from Scott Jamieson with eight minutes to go, with Parkin completing his treble and a Fraser Kerr completing the rout on a good night for Ian Turley’s side.

WEEKEND RESULTS

Saturday

Kilmarnock Thunder 5 Dundee Comets 9
Edinburgh Capitals 9 Dundee Tigers 5
North Ayrshire Wild 0 Aberdeen Lynx 3
Kirkcaldy Kestrels 1 Paisley Pirates 9

Sunday

Dundee Tigers 10 North Ayrshire Wild 4