LANCASHIRE, UK – Sheffield Steeldogs still lead the way in Moralee D1 after picking up four points over the weekend.
Ash Calvert (4) topped the scoring for the Steeldogs in their 6-2 home win against Billingham Stars, while Duncan Speirs bagged the decider in a 2-1 success at Whitley Warriors.
Solihull Barons had a mixed weekend, winning 6-5 after overtime at Sutton Sting before falling 4-3 on home ice against Solway Sharks.
Hull Pirates triumphed 14-1 at home to Sutton, while Blackburn Hawks grabbed a 4-3 win at Nottingham Lions.
In the NIHL North Cup, Telford Tigers won 9-4 on home ice against Murrayfield Racers and 5-3 at Billingham.
Solway boosted their hopes of progressing to the last four of the competition with a 5-4 victory at home to Hull.
Widnes Wild retained their place at the top of Laidler D2 with a 6-1 home win against Altrincham Aces – Chris Gee (2) led their scoring.
Richard Haggar scored six goals for Hull Jets as they demolished Blackburn Hawks 2 14-0. The Lancashire side also crashed 11-0 at home to Sheffield Senators.
Bradford Bulldogs won 3-2 on home ice against Coventry Blaze NIHL, while Deeside Dragons recorded a 5-4 victory after a shoot-out at Telford Tigers 2.
PHN’s top two talking points
Petulant Smith does Hull no favours
Hull Pirates’ owner Shane Smith’s reaction to his side’s exit from the NIHL Autumn Cup against the Steeldogs last week certainly raised a few eyebrows.
Smith took aim at the Pirates squad in a spectacular rant on the club’s website that was subsequently deleted.
The content smacked of petulance and childishness – something that the Pirates don’t need if they harbour genuine aspirations of moving up to the Elite League.
League structure concerns refuse to go away
The news that NIHL1 South club Invicta Dynamos launched a crowdfunding page to enable them to continue their season was hugely worrying for the future of the second tier of the sport in the UK.
The addition of the former EPL clubs to the NIHL appears to have had a bigger impact down south, but it would be foolish to believe the northern section couldn’t suffer a similar fate in the future.
The majority of the original NIHL clubs are struggling to bridge the gap to their ex-EPL counterparts and it seems a rethink regarding the structure is needed sooner rather than later.
WEEKEND RESULTS
Moralee D1
Hull Pirates 14-1 Sutton Sting
Nottingham Lions 3-4 Blackburn Hawks
Sheffield Steeldogs 6-2 Billingham Stars
Solihull Barons 3-4 Solway Sharks
Sutton Sting 5-6 Solihull Barons (OT)
Whitley Warriors 1-2 Sheffield Steeldogs
Laidler D2
Blackburn Hawks 2 0-11 Sheffield Senators
Bradford Bulldogs 3-2 Coventry Blaze NIHL
Hull Jets 14-0 Blackburn Hawks 2
Telford Tigers 2 4-5 Deeside Dragons (SO)
Widnes Wild 6-1 Altrincham Aces
NIHL North Cup
Billingham Stars 3-5 Telford Tigers
Solway Sharks 5-4 Hull Pirates
Telford Tigers 9-4 Murrayfield Racers
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