Davies celebrates Saturday’s opener

Blackburn Hawks clinched the NIHL1 North play-off crown with a 9-5 aggregate win over Billingham Stars.

Saturday’s first leg at Blackburn Arena was a tense affair, with neither team able to find a breakthrough in the first. Hawks came out firing in the second as two quick goals by Aaron Davies and Sam Dunford put them 2-0 ahead.

Billingham hit back early in the final period through Stephen Wallace & Adam Robinson, but Myles Dacres soon restored Hawks’ lead.

Stars pressed for an equaliser, with Hawks content to hit their opponents on the break, but neither side could find another goal leaving Hawks with a one goal advantage going into the second leg.

The return at TFM Ice Arena on Sunday saw Hawks stun their hosts as they raced into a 3-0 lead on the night – Chris Arnone, Matt Viney and Dave Meikle got the goals. Robinson pulled one back just before the first break to make it 6-3 to the Hawks overall.

Davies extended Hawks’ lead in the middle session, and Hawks put the result beyond doubt in the final period with further goals from Dunford and Meikle. James Udell and Paul Windridge hit late consolation goals for Stars, but Hawks held firm to claim a deserved victory.

(Image permission: PSD-Images)