Solway Sharks still lead the way in NIHL1 North after an 8-4 win at home to Blackburn Hawks – Adam Reynolds & Nathan Salem both hit hat-tricks. Richie Thornton (left) notched a superb last minute winner for Billingham Stars as they won 4-3 at Blackburn. Telford Titans beat Whitley 7-2 – Chris Jones scored two – but the Warriors recovered the following evening with a 7-3 success at home to Coventry Blaze – Jordan Barnes (2), Harry Harley (2) & Callum Watson (2) led the scoring. Josh Bruce scored twice on his debut for Blaze as they beat Trafford Metros 5-2, while Sutton Sting won 6-4 against Sheffield Spartans.
Nottingham Lions’ unbeaten NIHL2 North run continued with a 13-0 win at home to Blackburn Eagles – top scorer Ollie Betteridge was among the points again. Sheffield Senators beat Hull Stingrays 5-3, but they fell by the same score on Sunday at Solihull – Joe Henry scored three for Barons.
Romford Raiders are the new leaders of NIHL1 South. Shaun Yardley scored two in their 5-2 win at MK Thunder and they followed up with a 14-3 win at home to Streatham Redskins – Grant Taylor & Juraj Huska both scored three. Craig Tribe scored the only goal as Wightlink Raiders beat Chelmsford 1-0. Chieftains gained revenge in the NIHL South Cup with a 5-0 victory – Julius Sinkovic scored twice. Invicta Dynamos beat Peterbough Islanders 8-1 – Justin Noble grabbed a hat-trick.
EPL leaders Basingstoke Bison split their weekend double-header with Guildford Flames. Bison won 3-1 on home ice but lost the reverse fixture 3-2 – Curtis Huppe hit two for Flames. Manchester Phoenix beat Peterborough Phantoms 7-5 – Robert Schnabel & Andy McKinney both scored two – but slumped to a shock 4-1 defeat at Telford Tigers.
MK Lightning beat Slough 3-2, but the Jets won the return 2-0. Lightning made it four points for the week with a 3-2 win at Sheffield Steeldogs – Adam Carr hit the shoot-out winner. Bracknell Bees lost 6-3 at Sheffield – Derek Campbell & Steve Duncombe both scored twice – and completed a miserable week with a 5-4 loss at home to Slough. Nicky Watt scored two as Swindon beat Telford 4-2, but the Wildcats were edged out 4-3 in overtime at Peterborough – Tom Norton got the winner.
Braehead Clan suffered a mixed weekend in the Elite League, beating Edinburgh Capitals 6-1 but losing 8-4 in the reverse fixture. Mike Wirll grabbed a last minute winner for Dundee as they won 2-1 at Fife Flyers, and the Stars made it a four-point weekend with a 5-4 win at home to Edinburgh. Coventry gained revenge for a 4-2 Challenge Cup defeat at Hull Stingrays with a 2-1 league win at home, while Cardiff’s Paul Bissonette was on the scoresheet again as the Devils downed Fife 4-0.
(Image permission: Colin Lawson)
