BLACKBURN Hawks' stuttering climax to an eventful British League Ice Hockey season continued last night.

And a shock home defeat against the Solihull Barons hardly represents the sort of result to lift spirits and confidence prior to the First Division promotion play-offs which begin in earnest in just over a week's time.

Played 7, won 1, drawn 1, lost 5 is Hawks current run and last night's opponents had managed just seven victories from their previous 48 fixtures.

Even allowing for the fact that Hawks were without their Canadian player-coach Ryan Kummu - back home on business - Malcolm Bell and Lee Cowmeadow, this was a performance which brought rumbles of discontent from the hard core of support at the Arena.

Hawks lost the first two periods by the same 3-1 scoreline and only a late revival prevented a defeat of more embarrassing proportions. But with the likes of Kummu, Bell and Cowmeadow absent, the shortage of defensive cover was painfully obvious.

Netminder Horatio Schlinger was repeatedly exposed as Barons capitalised on unfamiliar freedom in front of goal.

Despite having much of the lion's share of possession, Hawks were consistently undone by slick attacks on the break and found themselves a goal down within three minutes.

That was cancelled out by a Steve Chartrand equaliser and it was Chartrand again who pegged things back to 2-3 before the visitors rushed into a 7-2 lead early in period three.

The home side eventually started to get their act together, but it was all too little too late with three goals coming in the final five minutes to give the scoreline a degree of respectability. The highlight was a superb solo goal from Jon Cotton who received a pass from George Powell before going on a mazy dribble and slipping the ball past a bemused keeper.

Scoresheet: Steve Chartrand 2 + 1, John Haig 1 + 0, Jon Cotton 1 + 2, Simon Mills 1 + 0, George Powell 1 + 2, Oleg Sinkov 0 + 1, Declan McNaughton 0 + 1.

Hawks have just two league games remaining, at home to Manchester Storm, the champions, on Saturday and away to third place Bracknell Bees on Sunday.

Details of the draw for the play offs are due to be released next Monday with Hawks, certain to finish second, facing six hard and competitive games.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.