Solihull Barons – Whitley Warriors

Recap

Despite a strong showing in parts, the Direct Taxis Solihull Barons went down on Sunday evening to league runners up the Whitley Warriors.

The Barons held the balance of play through much of the first period but struggled to connect fully in the final third of the ice to set up quality chances. Indeed three Barons powerplays would come and go unconverted with the Solihull forwards running into a forest of Whitley skates and sticks as soon as they crossed the Warriors blue line.

It would not be until 25 minutes or so into the game for the scoreboard to be lit. The Warriors began to bring their own forward play to the fore and link up play around the Solihull goal crease between Matthew McDonald and Steven Chalmers Gave the latter the opener as he slotted the puck round Sam Hewitt and into the Solihull net. The Barons would finally get the puck beyond Whitley goalie Joshua Crane in the 34th minute with James Smith, on the boards by the right hand circle, sending the rubber goalwards to bring the scoring back even. Richard Slater would then pull the Barons into the lead via a powerplay on the 47th minute – a deft shot from 6 feet out doing the damage.

The third would see the Warriors encamped in the Barons end for much of the first half of the period but it would be a breakaway from their own end with 8 minutes to go which would bring the equaliser as Adam Finlison raced up the middle of the ice and through the Barons defence for the visitors second. A minute later and the Warriors were back in the lead – Jamie Ord this time for Whitley. With 50 seconds left on the clock and Sam Hewitt pulled for the extra forward, any chance of a Barons comeback went as a loose puck in centre ice came off of Callum Watson and went into the now empty Solihull net.

The Barons play host to the Blackburn Hawks on Sunday, 3rd April, in our penultimate regular season home season tie of the year. The Barons have come up on top each time, the sides have met this season bar once. That only defeat however was the last visit of the Hawks to Hobs Moat and the Lancashire side will be keen to repeat the feat against a Barons side determined to end the season with some strong results. Face-off 5:30pm.

Barons Man of the Match – Andy Whitehouse

Warriors Man of the Match – Joshua Crane