Barons get their claws into Lions

Bristol Street Motors Solihull Barons : 7
Nottingham Lions : 2

The Bristol Street Motors Solihull Barons continued to show their current strong form with a win against long time rivals the Nottingham Lions on Sunday evening in a game in which the Barons faced a worthy opponent.

The first period was one with competitive hockey being played by both sides and while the Barons had the balance of play, neither side was able to exert significant continuous spells of pressure on the opposition net. By the end of the first period the sides were separated by only a single goal. Rich Slater picking up a rebounded shot from Joe Henry on a powerplay six minutes into the game.

The second period began brightly for the Barons with the Solihull side camped in the Lions end. It would take five minutes for this to be capatalised on, Ryan Selwood slotting the puck under Warren Gilfoyle in the Lions net. The Barons would go three to the good just after the half hour mark, Joe Henry picking up a rebound from a Tomas Janak shot.

The Lions however kept to their plan and were continually asking questions of the Barons. With two minutes of the second period to go a defensive giveaway by Solihull was seized on by Ivo Dimitrijevs to give the Lions an opening goal. Within a minute however the Barons had regained the three goal advantage. Joe Henry making the most of a Rich Slater breakaway to lodge the puck firmly in the roof of the Lions net.

The final period began for the Barons with a beautifully clean goal, Rich Slater playing the puck from behind the Lions net to Tomas Janak square in front who found plenty of space around Gilfoyle for the Barons fifth.

With ten minutes to go, and against the general run of play, the Lions pulled one back with a second goal, Warren Tait finding the net off the pipework.

Tom Soar however restored the Solihull advantage in the 53rd minute with a short handed effort off of a face-off in the Lions end. Three minutes later and Soar added the Barons seventh and final goal of the night as he and Niklas Ottosson made the most of Lions defensive frailties.