Recap

The Direct Taxis Solihull Barons returned to winning ways on Sunday with a comfortable win over the Sheffield Scimitars which saw them leapfrog both the Widnes Wild and the Scimitars themselves back into third place in the Moralee division even if all three sides are sitting on 14 points.

The first period was very much the Barons and while the Scim’s started to make a game of it later in the period, for the first ten minutes at least, the ice was definitely tilted down to the Sheffield end. The Solihull pressure would tell and it was no surprise when the Barons opened the scoring after six and a half minutes – Phil Mulcahy tapping in between the pads of Scim’s goalie James Hadfiled following a racing feed up the left wing from Niklas Ottosson. The lead was then doubled after thirteen minutes as Callum Bowley slotted home following behind the net play by Niklas Ottosson and Phil Mulcahy.

Four minutes into the second the Barons further extended their lead as Solihull peppering of the Sheffield net sent Hadfield sprawling and Callum Bowley chipped the puck over the prone goalie for the Barons third. This was followed up immediately at the restart with Jordan Stokes getting Solihull’s fourth.

The third period was perhaps a quieter one. A penalty shot came the Barons way with ten minutes of the game to go but the attempt to find a gap saw the shot stopped by Hadfields outstretched left leg. The Scimitars would leave Hobs Moat with some reward for their efforts as a Sam Rodgers shot from left hand circle slipped beneath the butterflying Sam Hewitt for what would be the visitors only goal of the evening.

The Barons now have an unusual run of fixtures with sixth away ties in a row beginning with Sunday’s long trip to Whitley Bay. The Barons are next scheduled to play at Hobs Moat on the 20th Feb where they will take on current league leaders the Solway Sharks.

Barons Man of the Match, Niklas Ottosson

Scimitars Man of the Match, Sam Rodgers