BLACKBURN Hawks will be hoping to build on their final quarter performance against league leaders Solway Sharks ahead of this weekend’s double header.

The Hawks edged the final period 4-3 however the damage had already been done in a feisty affair at Blackburn Ice Arena as they went down 9-5.

The Hawks, who had beaten Sutton Sting 4-3 in their previous league outing, were out to cause an upset against the unbeaten Sharks buoyed by the recent signings of Sam Warnock from Billingham, Solomon Smith from Widnes Wild and Cade King from Altrincham Aces.

Following a close opening quarter, the visitors led 1-0 when Lewis Houston opened the scoring firing the puck past young netminder Harrison Walker for the only goal of the first period as both sides were well matched with a fiery tempo to the game.

The pace was lifted a notch in the second period which saw Hawks’ Craig Lutkevitch receiving a 2+2 penalty for fighting with Sharks’ Iain Bowie who also received the same time in the penalty box.

Solway took control and peppered Harrison’s net with shots and goals came from Iain Bowie, Lewis Houston, Peter Gapa, Captain Struan Tonnar and Scott Henderson.

Hawks replied with a goal from Joe Greaves who was injured in the process and was no longer able to continue in the game.

Tempers also flared between Solway’s Jaakko Heiskanen who received two minutes for cross checking while Hawks’ Lee Pollitt spent a lengthy spell off the ice after receiving two minutes for charging, two for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct penalty.

The Hawks then edged the final period with goals from Aaron Davies, Jared Dickinson, Petr Valusiak and the returning Pollitt – but Solway hit back with three of their own from Heiskanen, Houston – who completed his hat-trick –and Kyle Horne.

Smith remained under Solway’s skin throughout, bagging an assist and MVP in the process on a very promising debut.

Hawks, who are one place off the bottom of NIHL Moralee North One, travel to Sutton Sting on Saturday looking for a repeat of last weekend’s result before hosting fourth-placed Billingham Stars on Sunday.