Lions roar too much for the Barons

Nottingham Lions 6-2 Solihull Barons

By Matt Johnson, Barons Press Officer

Solihull Barons missed the chance to move off the foot of the ENL North Div One table after they were gunned down 6-2 by a revived Nottingham Lions outfit at the National Ice Arena.

Despite taking an early lead through Erik Bakalar, the Barons attempt to record a third straight victory over their hosts and subsequently leap-frog them in the league standings was thwarted by a resounding Lions fight back.

Bakalar’s strike after seven minutes capped a bright start for the visitors as it looked as if they’d be on their way to securing back-to-back victories for the first time this season. But two Lions goals in two minutes turned the score line on its head as a dull first period between two evenly matched sides ended 2-1.

Nottingham stretched their advantage early in the second, before Ryan James deflected an effort into the roof of the net to leave the game delicately poised at 3-2.

A catalogue of errors allowed the Lions to stretch their advantage to two shortly afterwards, to once again leave the Barons with it all do in the final period.

What was to follow was a meagre offering compared to last weekend’s thrilling turnaround as Solihull pushed, but never really looked like getting back into the game.

Instead, Nottingham managed a further two goals to stretch their lead. The first after 47 minutes as the Barons committed more men to attack, and the second with two minutes remaining as Solihull succumbed to a 6-2 defeat which leaves them three points adrift of the pack.

Goals: Bakalar, James
Assists: R Slater, Whitehouse, TBA
Man of the Match: James