Resurgent Barons storm back to tame Lions

Solihull Barons 4-3 Nottingham Lions

By Matt Johnson, Barons’ Press Officer

A late double from Toni ‘Spanner’ Scialdone sealed a remarkable comeback as the Solihull Barons came from three goals down to record a 4-3 victory over the Nottingham Lions.

It was a feat that seemed unimaginable midway through the second period when the Lions struck their third powerplay goal. But an instant reply from Richard Slater and a second from the youngster early in the third set up a frenzied finale, before Scialdone stole the show.

The Barons suffered a 9-2 mauling at Coventry the previous night, and the dismissal of Canadian defenceman Mike Rodger for slashing to the head early on, epitomised the Barons’ mood in the first period, as Nottingham went on to score through the resulting five minute powerplay.

Ill-discipline continued to plague the Barons as the Lions twice scored from five-on-three powerplays. The first was struck with two minutes remaining in the period before another was added after 49 minutes, as it looked like it would be the same old story for Solihull.

But then the flow of the game changed.

Richard Slater struck back a minute later, poking in from Spanner’s neat cut back to give the home crowd hope, before he deflected Adam Andrews’ shot home early in the third to grab his second and make it 3-2, as a rejuvenated Barons began to swell up with confidence.

Solihull, now playing with great vigour and responding to the crowd’s roaring encouragement had a tiring Nottingham penned back into their defensive zone in search of an equalizer. And it came with six minutes remaining on the clock as Spanner trapped Andrews’ hammered blue line effort with aplomb, before coolly steering into the net.

Sensing a winner, the Barons had the bit between their teeth and sure enough, with two minutes remaining, Scialdone lifted the roof when he skated through one-on-one before smashing an unstoppable effort into the top-right of the net to seal an astonishing victory.

The triumph sealed the Barons second win of the season, with the first coming against the same opponents. And Darren Bellerby’s side now have the chance to make it three-out-of-three and subsequently move off the foot of the ENL North Div One table if they pick up maximum points when they travel to Nottingham on Sunday (Oct 30). Coach tickets cost £10 and can be reserved by contacting thesolihullbarons@gmail.com.

Goals: R Slater (2), Scialdone (2)
Assists: Scialdone, Andrews (2), R Slater, Brindle
Man of the match: Scialdone