(Image permission: Duncan Speirs)
LANCASHIRE, UK – Solway Sharks maintained the pressure at the top of Moralee D1 with a comprehensive 9-3 victory at Blackburn Hawks – Cale Tanaka (2), Peter Gapa (2) and Ross Murray (2) topped the scoring.
Brodie Jesson weighed in with a couple of goals as Telford Tigers ran out 8-2 winners at home to Billingham Stars.
Filip Supa’s second goal of the game sealed a 3-2 overtime victory for Solihull Barons on home ice against Sutton Sting.
Whitley Warriors secured a comfortable 11-2 win at home to Nottingham Lions – Ben Campbell (3) led their scoring.
In the NIHL North Cup, Sheffield Steeldogs won 5-4 at Solway and 5-0 at Billingham.
Hull Pirates also recorded a pair of victories, winning 11-1 at Murrayfield Racers and 3-2 after a shoot-out at home to Telford.
Widnes Wild moved five points clear at the top of Laidler D2 after picking up a pair of wins over the weekend.
Jakub Hajek scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 success at Hull Jets and he followed up with a hat-trick as Wild won 8-3 at home to Coventry Blaze NIHL.
Sheffield Senators had a mixed weekend, losing 5-3 at Bradford Bulldogs before bouncing back with a 7-5 home win against Deeside Dragons.
Telford Tigers 2 fell 4-1 at Coventry, while Altrincham Aces recorded a 6-2 victory at home to Blackburn Hawks 2.
PHN’s top two talking points
There have been growing calls in NIHL North circles – mainly from fans of the former EPL clubs – for the EPL to return next season.
The NIHL is far from perfect, but quite why anyone would want a return to a five-import league that was clearly financially unsustainable is anyone’s guess.
A workable middle ground does need to found, but bringing back the EPL isn’t the answer.
Brownley shines for Sheffield
Cam Brownley enjoyed a productive campaign for Sheffield Steeldogs in 2017/18, but his points output had dropped off a little this season.
However, he found his scoring touch over the weekend, bagging four goals against Solway and Billingham.
Brownley has developed into a solid performer at NIHL level and player/coach Ben Morgan will be happy to see the forward back amongst the goals.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Moralee D1
Blackburn Hawks 3-9 Solway Sharks
Solihull Barons 3-2 Sutton Sting (OT)
Telford Tigers 8-2 Billingham Stars
Whitley Warriors 11-2 Nottingham Lions
Laidler D2
Altrincham Aces 6-2 Blackburn Hawks 2
Bradford Bulldogs 5-3 Sheffield Senators
Coventry Blaze NIHL 4-1 Telford Tigers 2
Hull Jets 0-1 Widnes Wild
Sheffield Senators 7-5 Deeside Dragons
Widnes Wild 8-3 Coventry Blaze
NIHL North Cup
Billingham Stars 0-5 Sheffield Steeldogs
Hull Pirates 3-2 Telford Tigers (SO)
Murrayfield Racers 1-11 Hull Pirates
Solway Sharks 4-5 Sheffield Steeldogs
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