ENL North week 9 round-up

BLACKBURN, UK – Billingham Stars have opened up a six point lead at the top of ENL1 North. Saturday’s clash with Trafford Metros in Altrincham was a bad tempered affair, with the hosts intent on disrupting the flow of Stars free-flowing game. Alex Lawson put the visitors ahead after ten minutes as Metros continued the rough-stuff and James Udell doubled the lead before the end of the first.

The second period continued in the same vein but neither team could find the target. John Murray pulled one back for Metros in the 53rd minute to set up a nervy finish, but Billingham comfortably held on to secure the win. Stars completed a four-point weekend with an entertaining 4-1 win at home to Coventry Blaze on Sunday. Callum Davies opened the scoring in the sixth minute with Paul Windridge making it 2-0 just before the first break. Anthony Price added a third midway through the second before Rikki Bryniarski pulled one back in the 34th minute. MVP Ben Davison restored Stars’ three goal cushion in the third to leave Coach Terry Ward happy with his team. “We expected more from Trafford but they seemed more interested in trying to niggle us. On the whole the lads kept their heads and tried to play hockey”, said Ward. “Coventry came and played some good hockey, they had padded their lines with quite a few youngsters, because they learnt from their last visit that you need to bring 3 lines at least if you intend to compete”. Whitley Warriors moved into third placed after splitting a weekend series with Blackburn Hawks. Two Jordan Bannon goals helped Hawks to a 4-1 win on home ice but Warriors exacted revenge back at Hillheads winning 4-2. Sean Day gave Hawks the lead in the 18th minute but Warriors stepped up a gear in the second, scoring three in just over a minute – Callum Watson, Shaun Kippin and Dean Holland hitting the target. Kippin grabbed his second of the night with five minutes left and Gary Dixon’s late strike for Blackburn gave the scoreline a more flattering look than it deserved. Sheffield Spartans have been quietly creeping up the table and won again – this time 5-2 at Telford Titans. After a cagey first period Spartans dominated the second and went in front through Shaun Wild. Karol Jets equalised a minute into the third but Ollie Barron (2) and Nick Manning put Sheffield firmly in control. Telford’s Paul Rigby made it 4-2 a couple of minutes from time but Manning scored again to seal an impressive victory. The bottom two met in Nottingham with the Lions running out comfortable 6-2 winners over Solihull Barons – Joe Wightman notched a couple for Lions. ENL2 leaders Solway Sharks had a blank weekend giving Flintshire Freeze and Sutton Sting the chance to close the gap. Freeze went into the game having won seven in a row but had no answer to Sting’s firepower as they were dismissed 11-3 – Richie Oliver led the scoring with five. Lancashire Raptors remain pointless after falling 5-1 at home to Bradford Bulldogs. This weekend sees Whitley travel to face Nottingham while in the Northern Cup Billingham meet Blackburn. Contact the author comment@Prohockeynews.com