Sheffield Spartans : 1
Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons : 2
Saturday 23rd January

Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons : 8
Blackburn Hawks : 4
Sunday 24th January

The Lookers of Yardley had a busy weekend with games on both Saturday and Sunday and saw them collect all four of the points on offer including two against the high flying Blackburn Hawks.

On Saturday the team headed to Ice Sheffield to take on the Spartans in what would emerge as a low scoring but highly competitive game. With Sam Hewitt in the Barons net and his opposite number Brandon Stones for Sheffield setting out their stalls early on it was clear the forwards would need to work hard for their goals.

On the 23rd minute the home side took the lead, Nicholas Manning finally finding a way past Hewitt. By the middle of the period the Barons had levelled things up, as Joe Henry found a route for the puck into the Spartans net to set up a winner takes all final period.

The last twenty minutes of the period saw the Barons go all out for the win but they would leave it late, Joe Henry getting the winner with only four minutes to go.

Sunday evening and it was the visit of league leaders the Blackburn Hawks to Solihull but the first period would see a highly pumped up Barons showing they were very much up for the tie. Niklas Ottosson opened scoring for the Barons, snatching a miscued Hawks offensive zone pass to race up the ice for a shorthanded goal after only a minute. The Hawks would draw back level but Joe Henry ensured the Barons would lead after twenty with his own powerplay goal.

The second period would continue with the Barons continuing to pile pressure on the Hawks and this would be rewarded with a pair of goals from Ed Eaton and a sweet backhand from Josh Bruce to give the Barons 4-1 lead. In the final minute of the period the Hawks signalled their intention to stay in the game with a powerplay goal to cut the Barons advantage to a single goal.

The final period would open with the Barons more or less scoring at will against a bemused Hawks side, Scott McKenzie, Tom Soar, Andy Whitehouse and Josh Bruce all finding the net. The Hawks would answer with a goal from Rjay Berra but it would not be until the final ten minutes that the Hawks began to exert any sort of pressure on Solihull, Aaron Davies with a powerplay goal.

In reality this was a game where the Barons had their heads in the game and played their best hockey of the year against a Hawks side struggling to get any sort of focus.

After a busy weekend for the Barons, they have a bit of a break before welcoming Scotland's Solway Sharks to Solihull on the 7th February. Face-off : 6:00pm.

@ Spartans

@ Spartans Barons goals : Joe Henry (2) Barons assists : Tomas Janak (2), Dave Rogers, Ryan Selwood MoM : Sam Hewitt

v Hawks

Barons goals : Bruce (2), MacKenzie, Henry, Soar, Ottosson, Whitehouse, Eaton Barons assists : McKenzie (3), Ottosson(2), Henry (2), Eaton, Janak, Doyle, Bruce, Soar MoM :  Josh Nicholls

NEXT HOME GAME SUNDAY 7th FEBRUARY The Barons next home game is against Dumfries based squad, the Solway Sharks. The Sharks have had a mixed season so far but have shown their potential in taking two points from league leaders the Blackburn Hawks a fortnight ago. The Barons have met with the Sharks twice the season, once in Solihull and once in Dumfries with the win in each case going with the home team. A close tie is forecast so make sure to get down to the rink. Make it loud and ensure the Barons have that extra man on the ice ! Sunday 7th February Face-off : 6:00pm Adults £8 : Concessions £4 Family ticket £24 (2 adults and up to 3 children)