ENL North week 7 round-up

BLACKBURN, UK – Billingham Stars remain top of ENL1 North, but not without a scare along the way. On Saturday they travelled to face Telford Titans and fell behind to first period goals from Karol Jets and Edward Eaton. Stars came out firing in the second and Paul Windridge quickly pulled one back before Anthony Price levelled things midway through the game. Both teams had chances to win it in the third but neither could find a goal – the dropped point saw Stars perfect start to the season come to an end. On Sunday the leaders looked to return to winning ways at home to Sheffield Spartans. The visitors took an early lead through Nick Manning but Windridge and Price edged Billingham in front. Manning’s second tied things up again, but goals from James Udell and Ross Hanlon gave the Teesiders a 4-2 lead at the end of the first. Hanlon added a fifth as Stars looked to have the points sewn up, but John Woolhouse made it 5-3 to set up a nervy finish. Callum Rawson scored Spartans’ fourth and with under a minute remaining Manning silenced the home crowd with his third to tie the game at 5-5.

Blackburn Hawks were in rampant mood against Coventry Blaze at a noisy Blackburn Arena. Blaze led 3-1 at the end of the first courtesy of goals from Tom Ledgard, Philip Pollok and Tom Pease – Sam Dunford replied for the Hawks. A bad tempered second period saw Blaze take a number of needless penalties and the home team took full advantage as goals from Rick Hughes and Aaron Davies levelled things up. Jordan Bannon punished slack defending to put Blackburn ahead early in the third and the Hawks then ran riot with Gary Dixon, Hughes, Tom King, Jared Owen and Dunford capping an excellent performance. Solihull Barons have had a difficult start to life in ENL1 and suffered another pointless weekend losing 7-3 at Trafford Metros and 4-2 at home to Whitley Warriors. The defending champions haven’t made the best of starts this term, but early goals from DJ Good, Josh Maddock and Callum Pattison set them on their way. Rob Perks pulled one back for Barons late in the first and, after a scoreless middle period, Erik Bakalar made it 2-3 with ten minutes left. Solihull pressed for the equaliser but Warriors defence stood firm and Callum Watson sealed the win a minute from time. Nottingham Lions slumped to a heavy home defeat to Telford. Adam Taylor gave Titans the lead just before the end of the first and Dan Taylor made it two soon into the second. Nick Whyatt pulled one back for the Lions but Telford made it 4-1 through Ryan Stanton and Adam Taylor’s second of the night. Whyatt pulled one back but Telford ran away with things in the third – with Ashley Stanton (2) and Karol Jets doing the damage.   Game of the weekend in Division 2 saw unbeaten Solway Sharks face Sutton Sting at Dumfries Ice Bowl. Struan Tonnar and Calum Adamson put the home team ahead in the first period before Lewis Gold and Nathan Salem doubled the score in the second. Shawn Ashton pulled one back for Sutton but Bob Chalmers restored the four goal cushion moments later. Sting refused to lie down and two Richard Oliver strikes midway through the final period set up a tense finale, but Sharks held firm to secure the points. Sutton recovered from the setback by defeating Hull Stingrays 6-3 on Sunday, but find themselves in third place after Flintshire Freeze racked up a four-point weekend. James Parsons hit a hat-trick in a comfortable 12-1 win at Lancashire Raptors – Chris Jones, Simon Furnival and Andy Chappell all scored twice. Freeze completed the weekend double with a 7-3 success at home to Bradford Bulldogs with Marc Lovell grabbing a couple for the Deeside outfit. New boys Fylde Flyers are still awaiting Cleveleys Ice Rink to be given the all-clear and are finding things tough on the road losing 9-2 to Bradford. This weekend’s highlights see Billingham Stars face-off against Blackburn Hawks while Coventry Blaze and Solihull Barons meet in the M42 derby. Contact the author Comment@Prohockeynews.com