Blackburn Hawks 8 : 2 Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons
26th March 2016
Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons 6 : 1 Sheffield Spartans
27th March 2016
Jordan Stokes was a hard working guest for the Barons at Blackburn. Josh Bruce stretches for the puck.
Niklas Ottosson fights through the Senators defence.
Ed Eaton tangles with Hawks Ollie Lomax.
Men of the Match v Sheffield, Ryan Selwood & Andrew Bagshaw

Blackburn Hawks : 8
Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons : 2

Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons : 6
Sheffield Spartans : 1

The Lookers of Yardley Solihull Barons rounded of their league campaign with a win and a loss which would see them confirmed as third place in their debut season in Moralee Division 1 and earning the corresponding seed position in the upcoming play-offs.

The Barons made the trip to Blackburn knowing that, while they had beaten the Hawks in Solihull in January taking on the league champions elect on their own ice would be a quite different prospect.

So this would prove. The game was only a couple of minutes old before the Barons Dave Rogers and the Hawks Ollie Lomax tussled after the latter had checked Ed Eaton into the boards. By the end of the first period the Hawks would be three goals to the good leaving the Barons on the back foot.

This would set the tone for the remainder of the game as a feisty affair and while the Barons would score once more courtesy of Andy Whitehouse, the Hawks were generally in full control of the tie backstopped by a strong performance from netminder Stuart Ashton.

Sunday and the Barons rounded off their league campaign and Captain Rob Eley's final competitive game on home ice with a home tie against the Sheffield Spartans. Despite the Barons being several spots ahead of the Spartans on the league table it was the visitors who would score first thanks to an effort from Shaun Wild on five minutes. This lead would be short lived however with Niklas Ottosson levelling things up for the Barons within a few seconds of the restart.

The remainder of the first half of the game would see the sides match each other shot for shot with strong net minding performances coming from both sides and no further scoring. The deadlock would be broken just after the half hour with Ryan Selwood punching the Barons into the lead for the first time. The final period would however be all Barons with the home side finding the net four more times as they finally started to get the better of Spartans goalie Andrew Bagshaw to give a scoreline that perhaps flattered Solihull.

The Barons now have the upcoming weekend off before heading to Ice Sheffield for the play-off weekend on the 9th and 10th of April where they are due to face the Whitley Warriors in the    semi-final. The Barons will round off their season on 24th April with Captain Rob Eley's testimonial game against his Legends team select in aid of his 19 for 19 initiative. Face-off : 5:30 pm.

 

@ Hawks

Barons goals : Henry, Whitehouse
Barons assists : Selwood
Barons MoM : Jordan Stokes



v Spartans

Barons goals : Soar (2), Selwood (2), Henry, Ottosson
Barons assists : Henry (2), Crowe, Selwood, Eaton, Doyle, Bruce, Ottosson
Barons MoM :  Ryan Selwood



Weekend Round-Up
Solway Sharks 9 : 3 Sutton Sting
Telford Tigers 7 : 2 Sheffield Senators
Billingham Stars 3 : 3 Blackburn Hawks
Sheffield Senators 2 : 3 Whitley Warriors

 
NEXT HOME GAME
SUNDAY 24th April

The Barons final game of the regular season is a bit of a special one where the will take on the 19 for 19 Legends in Rob Eley's testimonial game.

Current players announced for the Legends include Hilton Ruggles, Steve Chartrand, Les Millie, Neil Abel, Joel Poirier and Rick Strachan.

The game will consist of a first and third period of regular play, with the Big E himself playing a period each for the Barons and for the Legends, while the second period will take the form of a skills competition.

Make sure you get down to the rink for this great cause in what will be Rob's last official appearance on Solihull ice.

Sunday 24th April
Face-off : 5:30pm

Adults £8 : Concessions £4
Family ticket £24
(2 adults and up to 3 children)


 
Original photography courtesy of Keith & Jenny Davies