Brilliant Barons halt runaway Stars

Solihull Barons 3-3 Billingham Stars
By Matt Johnson, Barons Press Officer

Hobs Moat Road witnessed the shock of the ENL North Division One season on Sunday as the Solihull Barons held the unbeaten Billingham Stars to an enthralling 3-3 draw.

The table-topping Stars had won ten and drawn two of their 12 games and were five points clear of second placed Whitley Warriors. In stark contrast, the Barons had won only two of their 13 games and sat bottom of the pile heading in to what looked like a game of damaged limitation for Darren Bellerby’s side.

But the form book sailed of the window for this one. Solihull played some exquisite hockey and goals from Adam Andrews, Richard Slater and Erik Bakalar sealed a deserved point that, on another day, could so easily have been two. A performance that led to the Stars management team calling it ‘the toughest game they have played all season’.

Barons’ fans must have feared the worst after an ominous opening seven minutes as the Stars took a 2-0 lead in what has become an all too familiar pattern of late.

The away side continued to dominate until the 15 minute mark when they suffered two penalties in quick succession.

From the resulting five-on-three powerplay, the Barons reduced the deficit via an Adam Andrews thunderbolt that rip roared past the netminder, and that seemed to spark a new found confidence in the Barons ranks.

Solihull went for the jugular early in the second and surprisingly levelled with a short-handed goal from Richard Slater on 27 minutes after Dale Buckland had mugged the Star’s defenceman of possession on his own blue line before feeding Slater who fired home nonchalantly.

In a cruel turn of fortune, Billingham equalised a minute later to go 3-2 up through Alex Lawson’s second of the game, only for Erik Bakalar to squeeze a shot home just seconds later to draw the Barons level once again to cap an absorbing three minute period.

Solihull pushed for a winner in the third, but the beleaguered Stars held on to keep their unbeaten record intact in a game where both sides were thrilled to come out with a point.

Next weekend, the Barons have a break from action, but when they return on Sun December 4, it’s the big one.

Coventry ENL Blaze are in town for part two of the A45 Derby when a resurgent Barons will be out for  revenge after a 9-2 loss last time out - This is not one to be missed.

Face-off is scheduled for 6pm with tickets priced at £6 adults and £3 concessions (inc students) and car parking is free.

Goals: Andrews, R Slater, Bakalar
Assists: Ayers, Scialdone, Buckland
Man of the match: Richard Slater