BLACKBURN Hawks boosted their play-off chances in the NIHL Moralee Conference on Sunday with an emphatic 9-3 victory over Sutton Sting.

The result takes Steve Duncombe’s side ahead of Sting in the table and moves them to within three points of third placed Solihull Barons with two games in hand.

The victory means the Hawks are four games unbeaten in the league as they look to make a late bid for the play-offs and it was the perfect response to Saturday’s NIHL Cup defeat to Solway Sharks.

The Sharks have already wrapped up the competition and now sit 13 points clear at the top of the round robin group with Hawks, who have one more game remaining in the cup in Solway next month, currently in second spot after the 6-4 reverse.

After a goalless first period three goals in two minutes from the Sharks put them in the box seat and although the Hawks responded with two quickfire strikes of their own they trailed 4-2 at the end of the second.

Both teams then traded goals in the final period as the Sharks took the points.

Aaron Davies hit a hat-trick for the home side with James Riddoch also on target for Hawks.