NIHL North week 11 round-up

Solway Sharks still lead the way in NIHL1 North after Saturday’s 8-4 win at home to Blackburn Hawks. First period goals from Bob Chalmers and Nathan Salem set them on their way and when Mark Gallagher, Salem again and Adam Reynolds made it 5-0 early in the second the game looked over. Jared Owen and Ivo Dimitrijevs gave Hawks some hope, but Reynolds made it 6-2 just before the second buzzer. Two minutes into the final period Matt Viney made it 6-3 but Reynolds completed his hat-trick moments later. Ric Ravey narrowed the gap again midway through the session, but Salem grabbed his third of the night to see the Sharks safely home.
Hawks returned to home ice on Sunday to face Billingham Stars. The visitors raced into an early two goal lead through Michael Bowman and Adam Robinson as Hawks struggled to find any fluency. Viney halved the deficit after 24 minutes and the home team had much the better of the middle period. Ravey tied things up at 2-2 early in the third, but Bowman quickly restored Stars’ lead before a brilliant solo effort from Dan MacKriel saw Hawks level again. With time ticking away Stars took full advantage of a powerplay as Richie Thornton’s thunderbolt sealed the points.

Telford Titans bagged their first win of the season with a 7-2 victory at home to Whitley Warriors. Ed Eaton and Chris Jones put Titans ahead in the first, before Karol Jets, Paul Rigby and Dan Taylor put the game beyond Warriors in the middle session. Cameron Blakemore and Jones again made it 7-0, before DJ Good and Mark Good scored a couple of consolations for the visitors. Titans’ Coach Dave Fielder was delighted with his team’s performance, “We made some changes to the lines and freshened things up,” said Fielder. “With some training sessions under our belt and the games we had last weekend, there were no excuses for tiredness. We played really well and fully deserved the win.”
Warriors bounced back on Sunday with a 7-3 win at home to Coventry. Two goals from Josh Bruce the previous evening helped Blaze to a 5-2 win home to Trafford Metros, but they found Warriors in determined mood. Jordan Barnes (2), Harry Harley (2), Callum Watson (2) and Jamie Tinsley found the net for Whitley, with Rikki Bryniarski and Antti Kohvakka replying for Blaze. The only other fixture in Division One saw Sutton Sting edge past Sheffield Spartans 6-4.

Telford Titans' Chris Jones image by permission of Matt Giles.

Nottingham Lions remain unbeaten in NIHL2 North after a comfortable 13-0 win at home to Blackburn Eagles – Ollie Betteridge (2), Joe Wightman (2) and Christy Johnson-Brown (2) led the scoring, while imports Luke Branin and Jose Leon were also amongst the points. Sheffield Senators beat Hull Stingrays 5-3, but fell by the same scoreline at Solihull – Joe Henry hit a hat-trick on his debut for Barons.
Next weekend sees Billingham travel to face Trafford, while Sheffield Senators host Deeside Dragons.

 

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