This weekend saw the reignition of the rivalry at the top of NIHL 1, with an explosive Blackburn-Billingham double header. After conquering the Knights 2 at their Elland Road fortress, an in-form Blackburn Hawks side played hosts on Saturday for the first part of this much anticipated contest. The Stars arrived in Lancashire ready for revenge, as two weeks previous Blackburn had bested them in a feisty face-off at The Hawks Nest. With both teams perched atop the league table, this double-header weekend looked destined to define the division, a fact which both sets of fans must have been aware of due to the raucous pre-game atmosphere in the Blackburn Arena.

The opening of the game had all the hallmarks of a classic in the making. Whilst both teams looked threatening in the first minutes, it would be Adam Barnes, fresh off his hattrick heroics in Leeds, who would continue his red-hot form and open the scoring for the Hawks. Though not as quick as last time out against the Stars, Blackburn’s impressive record for early goals was extended as the targetman bagged his 19th of the season, sending the home support into early adulation. However, Hawks fans had learnt to be cautious in their celebrations, especially when Iain Brown is g for the opposition. A ‘Beautiful Thing’, Brown’s solo effort resurrected Billingham’s attacking spark, resulting in the Stars raining down first period goals like a ‘Waterfall’. Michael Elder assisted Chris Sykes just after the halfway point of the period to put Billingham ahead, with a Lucas Dowdle finish extending the lead. A startled Blackburn side were at sixes and sevens as exactly a minute after the third goal, Rolands Gritans made it 4-1. What started out as a promising period for the Hawks had ended in disaster, and returning to the changing room at the first intermission, Blackburn’s coaching staff needed to rally the team before the game was gone for good.

Whilst the exact quotations uttered in that tense changing room will remain between the coaches and players, Assistant Coach Ollie Lomax gave an insight, highlighting that whilst ‘the last few months it’s been mainly praise in the changing room, we as a team dropped well below our standards in that first period. The coaches went into the room and let them know that they were letting themselves down, we’ve battled to be in this position against Billingham and it felt like they were throwing the opportunity away. We said you’ve got 40 minutes to make it right…’ This Blackburn team have faced adversity this season, even looking back to the previous game against Billingham, the Hawks had to compose themselves after dropping a 3-goal lead. In looking at the players re-entering the ice for the second period, you could see the determination in their eyes to claw back this result. A frantic opening to this middle period saw both teams pile into each other. A golden opportunity was given to the Hawks just 7 minutes in as Stars goalscorer Rolands Gritans picked up a two-minute hooking penalty. With their first powerplay of the game and the words of their coaches echoing in their heads, there was no doubt that Blackburn would convert from this penalty. It would be the ever-reliable Andy McKinney who ended Gritans’ stay in the box, drawing one back for the Hawks. Two minutes later, the Stars were back to full strength but were helpless to defend against a resurgent Blackburn attack. Following up his goal, Andy McKinney played through Jacob Lutwyche who secured his 20th goal of the season with a rocket past the shoulder of Jacob Hammond. The Hawks were now within one of the Stars and the Billingham fans who had made the long journey south looked nervous.

In a complete reversal of the previous home meeting between the two teams, it was Billingham who looked to be dropping the ball in the second period. With the home fans on their back, every misplaced pass and slight slip on the ice was greeted by a chorus of jeers from the home faithful. As the rise in pressure looked to be getting to the Stars, it only spurred on the Hawks, and one man in particular was thriving. With two minutes left before the conclusion of this monumental period, Ethan Mayoh sent a speculative seeker on net, and who was there perfectly positioned to put home the equaliser? It was the Captain himself Aaron Davies. By his own admission, the veteran forward has stated that he’s toning down his goalscoring duties for this year, however if there was ever a man to rise to the occasion, it would be the Hawks legend in his 21st season. With the scores all level and less than a minute left to play, the exhausted players on both sides looked to be readying for a big break and final push in the third period. However, after Gritans picked up another two-minute penalty, Blackburn’s powerplay line saw an opportunity they could not resist and after chasing down the puck in Billingham’s zone, it would be newly recruited Hawks debutant Liam Charnock who stabbed in the go-ahead goal. Speaking after the game about the goalscorer, Lomax states how ‘Liam Charnock is a great lad. He plays the game the right way because he’s so hard working. We’ve got a lot of young lads in the roster who can look at the effort he puts in, and the simple plays he makes. Look at tonight, he throws pucks in, he chases it down and tries to beat every icing – The best way to describe him is as a pest, I know I’d have hated to play against him!’ A similar sentiment could be seen on the faces of the Billingham players as they exited the ice at the end of the second period, the score was 5-4 to Blackburn.

The Hawks Nest was electric going into what could be considered as one of the most important periods of the season. Both teams looked prepared to battle, and whilst the goals may have lacked in this final 20 minutes, there was no shortage of ferocity. With both keepers taking just under 10 shots each this period, it was clear that defence was of upmost priority for both sides. Whilst the Stars tried to catch Blackburn on the break, the whole defensive unit stood firm. Led by the experience of Bobby Streetly and Devids Jurinenoks, Blackburn’s backline showed great character in staving off the Stars offence. With clever defensive plays, younger players like Bailey Thomas and Liam Hine looked wise beyond their years. With a nervy final period inching towards its conclusion, Billingham bit the bullet, pulling their goalie in hopes of grabbing that last-gasp equaliser. This Hail Mary attempt was in vain however, as Adam Barnes regained possession of the puck, threw it down the ice into an empty Stars net, and secured a spectacular 6-4 victory for the Blackburn Hawks. With the Hawks completing the home double against the division’s biggest boogeymen, the fans all around Blackburn Arena could not contain their excitement as the game ended. Commenting on this fact, Lomax notes how ‘it was an important win and just like last game, we needed a win against them. They’re rightfully at the top of the table and we’re chasing them down, so these games on home ice we’ve got to take full advantage, and we’ve got maximum points against them at home.’ However, in reference to the ‘exciting’ way the game played out, Lomax quipped ‘If you’d have had a heart monitor on me – it would’ve been up and down!’

Whilst I’m sure some Hawks fans may have been out till the early hours celebrating that victory, there was no time to succumb to the hangover, as Blackburn were right back at it with a rematch at the Billingham Forum. Though back-to-back wins had been secured against the Stars, Coach Lomax and the rest of the team were under no illusion at the difficulty of this upcoming fixture. ‘It’s going to be a tough, tough game. Billingham are sort of blowing everyone away on home ice so it’s going to be tough. We’re really looking forward to the challenge and especially when you look at the Cup Final last season, we know we always have a really good following and I know its going to be the same this time’. The Hawks faithful proved Lomax right as they travelled up in droves to the North East. Though the Forum was packed full of Stars fans wanting to see revenge, the opening minutes of the fixture saw Hawks fans overpowering this home support.

In what has become a staple of this match-up, the opening exchange was as explosive as ever, however as both teams went toe-to-toe with each other, they couldn’t quite suss each other out in front of goal. Hawks keeper Ben Keddie stood tall against a barrage of shots from a supercharged Stars attack, however after Bailey Thomas picked up a penalty for interference, Blackburn’s defensive dam eventually burst, conceding on the penalty kill which was quickly followed up by another Iain Brown strike. Unlucky to go into the first intermission 2 goals down, Blackburn came out for the second period ready to gamble. Bodies were piled forward in hopes of chipping away at Billingham’s lead, however netminder Jacob Hammond was like a brick wall for the Stars, smothering every opportunity that came his way. This offensive push saw the Hawks get caught out at the back, as Billingham responded with two quick goals from Elder and Brown. With the game seemingly slipping through their fingers and the Billingham crowd growing ever more exuberant, the Stars smelt blood. It was ‘Bye Bye (Ba)D-Man’ for Iain Brown, as he raced around the Blackburn backline and sealed his hattrick for Billingham’s 5th of the game. The relentless pressure continued and after James Moss converted the Stars sixth, Blackburn made the decision to swap goalies and put Ollie Thomasson in for the remaining 25 minutes.

After the keeper swap, Blackburn bravely pushed forward. It appeared that the smaller ice was aiding the Stars in shutting down Blackburn’s offensive efforts and quickly transitioning into a devastating counterattack of their own. A resplendent Billingham side kept progressing past a depleted Hawks defence, goaded on at every step by baying fans who may have taken the previous two defeats rather seriously. The Stars hammered home 20 shots on Thomasson in the final period, with three of these making their way through. The pick of the bunch was Iain Brown’s fourth of the night – taking his season tally up to an incredible 39 goals (and it isn’t even the end of December yet). As the final period raged on, it seemed the Hawks missed the physicality provided by players like Royds and McKinney. A final, short-handed goal was converted by Michael Elder with 8 minutes left to play, taking Billingham’s total up to 9 for the evening. The final buzzer rang out in The Forum, signalling a merciful end to what had been a truly miserable evening for Blackburn. However, you would not have guessed this in listening to the Hawks fans. They soldiered on in their support throughout the game and cheered the boys on right till the bitter end. As the Stars embraced Jacob Hammond on the back of his outstanding 35-save shut-out, both teams eventually left the ice at The Forum, bringing to an end an incredible regular season series which saw crazy comebacks, dominant displays and both teams picking up maximum points at home.

Whilst Sunday night’s fixture may have given Blackburn a bloody nose, the Hawks are still best set to challenge Billingham for top spot in the division, sitting 2nd in the league with a game in hand. All 4 games in this match-up saw spectacular support from both sets of fans, and whilst Sunday’s game marks the conclusion of regular season meetings between the Hawks and Stars, the hockey gods could surely not pass up the chance for a post-season decider…

Up next for the Blackburn Hawks is our final home game before Christmas, in a festive face-off against the Widnes Wild. Come join us down at the Hawks Nest in your favourite Christmas jumper for a chance to win a prize in our Hawks Christmas Bonanza…

 

The Blackburn Hawks will play against the Widnes Wild @ Blackburn Arena on Sunday 15th December, Face-Off: 6:00pm

 

Article Courtesy of Nathan Dove

FEATURED IMAGES PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Pollitt