Moralee Conference Weekend Round Up - 7th & 8th March

Blackburn Hawks picked up their second shut-out in a row with a 0-3 win away at Sutton Sting with a result that must surely cast doubts over the iceSheffield-based team’s abilities to reach the end of season play offs . It was the second time in two meetings that the Hawks had blanked the Sting and marks a huge change in fortunes as Sutton are one of only two teams to have taken a point off Blackburn this season in a 2-2 draw back in September – the other team to do so being Sheffield Spartans.

Solway Sharks and Billingham Stars both confirmed their own play-off berths, with Sharks beating Whitley Warriors 5-3 at home on Saturday and then winning 5-13 away at Manchester Minotaurs on Sunday. Billingham Stars capped a bad weekend all round for the Warriors by beating them 6-2 in the North East derby – a result which almost certainly condemns Warriors to the relegation playoff.

Sheffield Spartans beat Manchester Minotaurs on their own patch 3-5   and could still overtake Sutton for the final play off place. Both teams have two games left to play with Spartans at home to Blackburn and Sting away at Billingham before the pair meet at iceSheffield in the last game of the regular season.

Photo: action from Sutton Sting v Blackburn Hawks by John Milton - www.eventog.uk