Solway Sharks moved to the top of NIHL1 North (Moralee Conference) after a four-point weekend. Two goals each for Juraj Senko & Ross Murray (left) helped them to an 8-0 win at home to Sheffield Spartans and they followed up with a 7-5 success at Whitley Warriors – Murray (2) & Struan Tonnar (2) led the scoring.
Sheffield bounced back to beat Telford Titans 8-2 – Tom Humphries hit a hat-trick. Sutton Sting beat Billingham Stars 3-0, while Blackburn Hawks needed a late Aaron Davies leveller to snatch a 2-2 draw with Manchester Minotaurs. In the KD Flavell & Sons Northern Cup Sutton beat Blackburn 7-6 – Chris Sykes (2) & Chris Colegate (2) were amongst Sting’s scorers.
NIHL2 (Laidler Conference) leaders Deeside Dragons drew 2-2 at Sheffield Senators. Joe Henry scored twice in Solihull Barons’ 6-3 win against Coventry Blaze, while two Bobby Caunce goals helped Widnes Wild to a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Lions.
In NIHL1 South Chelmsford Chieftains beat MK Thunder 14-2 – Ross Brears & Daniel Volrab both hit hat-tricks. Anthony Leone scored three as Invicta Dynamos beat Bracknell Hornets 8-3, while Wightlink Raiders slipped to their first league defeat of the season losing 6-4 at Cardiff Devils. In the NIHL South Cup Streatham drew 3-3 with Invicta, before falling to a 6-2 defeat at Chelmsford.
EPL leaders Manchester Phoenix won 4-3 at Slough Jets – Frantisek Bakrlik grabbed the overtime decider – and they followed up with a 6-4 win at home to Sheffield Steeldogs. Guildford Flames secured a pair of wins in their weekend double-header against Swindon Wildcats, winning 5-2 on the road and 6-3 back on home ice.
Basingstoke Bison lost 4-3 after a shoot-out at home to Bracknell Bees and completed a miserable weekend with another 4-3 reverse at MK Lightning. Shaun Thompson scored three in Bracknell’s 5-3 win at home to Telford Tigers. Peterborough won 6-3 at Telford Tigers – Erik Piatak hit a hat-trick – but slipped to a 5-3 loss at home to Slough. Two Lubomir Korhon goals helped Sheffield to a 3-0 success over MK Lightning.
Belfast still lead the Elite League after a pair of hard fought road wins. The Giants battled to a 2-0 victory at Hull Stingrays and followed up with a 4-2 success at Sheffield Steelers. Nottingham Panthers lost 4-2 at Fife Flyers and 7-6 after overtime at Edinburgh Capitals.
Brock McPherson scored three in Dundee Stars’ 6-3 home win against Fife. Coventry Blaze lost 4-2 at home to Sheffield, while Cardiff Devils crashed 5-3 at home to Hull. In the Challenge Cup Jereme Tendler scored twice in Hull’s 5-2 win against Coventry.
(Image permission: David Morrison)
