Barons home campaign starts with a win !

by Gareth Thomson

It was John Lennon who said that there are 4000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire and on Sunday night the Solihull Barons found 11 of them in the Eagles goal mouth.

It was a convincing win for the Sheldon Jewellery Centre Solihull Barons when they took on the Blackburn Eagles on Sunday evening in their first home fixture of the 2012-13 National Ice Hockey League season.

After a slightly short benched team iced last weekend, it was a full Barons squad who hit the ice of the Solihull rink. Appropriately it was returning sniper and last season's top scorer Rich Slater who wasted no time by scoring off an assist by Rob Eley in the first minute with a second following before the 10 minute mark.

A further two goals were scored by Dale Buckland and Neil Adams before the period end. In the second, the Barons picked up where they left off with four more goals and rounded things off with a further three in the final period.

Ian Hunt, a Summer signing for the Barons, netted twice for Solihull.

"I am very pleased to get my first couple of goals for the Barons - I also had a bit of a sitter at the end of the game but that hat-trick will need to wait ! After the tough start against Deeside last week it was good to have Rich Slater and Toni Scialdone back, play our system and put out a solid team performance. I'm settling in well with team, they are a great bunch of lads with a good few experienced guys and it really makes a difference being the senior team in the rink."

Hat tricks were achieved by both Rich Slater and Neil Adams. The latter looked forward to more of the same type of team performance through the rest of the season.

"Last week against Deeside was hard, as they had already had a couple of games under their belts while we were coming in to the game cold. Tonight's game against Blackburn was just what we needed to get our match fitness together." stated the first line forward.

"Our physical fitness is however much improved from last year. Chris Allen has brought a whole, new, professional approach to our training with our two on-ice sessions each week being boosted by spin classes at Fitness First and this approach really helps in ensure we maintain form into the third period.

Another delighted Barons player was returning net-minder Dave Roxburgh who achieved a shut-out and Man of the Match in his first full competitive game for Solihull since the 2008-9 season.

Elsewhere in the league, Barons title rivals the Deeside Dragons in a shock result, went down to a 1-3 loss at home to the Sheffield Senators.

The Barons now have a week off before returning to the Hobs Moat ice on 30th September when they will take on Lancashire's Fylde Flyers. Face-off 6pm.  

Goals: Adams (3), R Slater (3), Hunt (2), Whitehouse, Buckland, Knight
Assists: James (2), Adams (2), R Slater (3), Eley (2), Allen, Smith, Lee (2), Hammerton
Man of the match : Dave Roxburgh

The Barons meet the Fylde Flyers on Sunday 30th September at the Hobs Moat Rink The Sheldon Jewellery Centre Solihull Barons meet the Fylde Flyers on Sunday 30th September. This will be the first meeting between the two sides ever as the Flyers only come into being last season. The Lancashire side had a tough first season but have much more to be positive about this season and the Barons can not take anything for granted. Make sure you make it down to the rink and give the boys your support ! Face-off : 6pm Adults £6 : Concessions £3 Family ticket £16 (2 adults and up to 3 children)