IT’S sure to be a testing weekend for Deeside Dragons.

There’s another double-header for Dragons including a trip to last season’s league winners Billingham Stars.

That match-up will take place tomorrow, before Deeside host Blackburn Hawks on Sunday.

Looking ahead to the trip to Billingham, assistant head coach Matt Compton said: “They beat Blackburn 3-1 in their first game. Blackburn and Billingham, we expect them to be top end of the table teams.

“An away trip early on, on the bus and build that team morale. It’s a good test. Billingham is a tough place to go.

“Blackburn games are always good to be a part of and it’s a derby as well.”

Dragons began their season with a 5-5 Welsh Cup draw with Cardiff Fire, followed by a 4-3 win over Nottingham Lions in their league opener.

“I think we’re in a really good spot as a team and as a club as a whole,” added Compton. “You look from the under-10s right the way to us. You have got to make sure you represent the club in the right way.

“We have got a really good squad this year.”

Sunday’s other fixtures: Solihull Barons v Hull Jets; Whitley Warriors v Nottingham Lions; Widnes Wild v Billingham Stars. Tomorrow: Hull Jets v Widnes Wild.

It’s also a big weekend for the newly-formed Deeside Ducks.

Their first league game is at home to Kingston Sharks tomorrow (5pm).

New Ducks’ signing Gary Dixon said: “One of my main reasons for supporting this exciting project is to help the club create a pathway for our home-grown generation of junior Dragons players to progress into senior hockey.

“I feel this has been lost over the last few years, though not due to any fault of its own, and the club is currently thriving as a whole under junior head coach James Parsons.

“There has been a lot of positive feedback regarding the club’s name and branding so I am looking forward to seeing how far this club can grow.”