Hawks Eye View:Flying Through Fire

SATURDAY 24/02/18

STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS CARDIFF FIRE

NIHL SOUTH DIVISION 1

Pregame

The only game of the weekend for the Stretham Redhawks saw them welcoming the Cardiff Fire to the High Road. After the previous weekends bounce back against the Invicta Dynamos the Red Hawks would be looking to continue the winning streak. With the return of Joe Allen and Brendan Miles, and the call up of Alec Goldstone the Red Hawks had a full bench.

The Fire arrived in South London a very different team to the one that had arrived back in September. The bench had shortened since then, but it was a bench that has had a season to gel unlike the team back in September that had only been assembled that week. The Fire have finally begun to click as a team, after finally getting points on the board the previous weekend they would be looking to build on this. With one of the UK's most exciting goalie prospects in Jordan Lawday the Fire had an ace up their sleeves. The key to victory here for them would be Lawday playing a blinder combined with catching the Hawks on the break, and hoping to not get warn out by physical play from the Hawks.

1st Period

The Hawks would win the opening face off, and go on the offensive almost immediately. With the bulk of the possession they would trap the Fire in their own end, early chances would see Siagris and Doughty Lawday, before Farn and Paynter would combine to attempt a tip in. Next the WCW line would take a shot at breaking the deadlock, but Lawday stood strong against their attempts.

The Fire were playing it safe, sitting back defensively and trying to make a play on the break against the run of play. Haslam and Powell would generate a neutral zone turn over that saw Powell in with the puck but he would fire wide. Going back the other way Joe Allen would strike the iron from the hash marks.

With the short bench the Fire were playing a passive fore check, sitting back and trying to conserve their energy, not being aggressive and therefore avoiding taking penalties. At the same time this was allowing the Hawks a lot of time on the puck and it was only a matter of time till the deadlock broke, but with Lawday turning everything away that was thrown at him it was proving difficult.

Michael Farn would eventually help break that deadlock, after Watt and Webb had both gone close Farn pinching down behind the goal was able to get the puck to Webb, who would found Ryan Webb in front of the goal, a quick spinorama and a back hand later and it was 1-0 Redhawks as the puck sailed in to the top of the net.

Trying to even things up Tamas Elias would go past everyone, but a hasstleing Warman would force the puck carrier out wide and away from the net. A recurring theme of the game would be the Hawks Defencemen being allowed to pinch down and this would see Lawday forced in to making a series of amazing saves as passes crossed through the crease area looking for Baird or Warman at the back door

The period would end 1-0 to the Redhawks. It had been a period where the Hawks should have had more, but a combination of Jordan Lawday and an inability to find a finish on shots had lead to the Fire being within 1 goal. As despite the score line, it was more Lawday than the passive defensive approach of the Fire that had kept it this way

2nd Period

The Second period began where the 1st ended, with the Redhawks dominating possession and penning the Fire in their own zone, trying to sweep pucks through the crease looking for tips and to catch Lawday off guard.

1 minute in, the Hawks would make the possession pay, and make it 2-0. James Warmans dump from the point would find Adam Carr who was able to put the puck on Ryan Webbs stick who was able to slip it by Lawday after it hit the back post and trickled in.

The Fire became galvanized to respond after this, and in quick succession, Buglass, Hart and Prince would all get a series of chances on Colclough of rebounds but the Hawks goalie maintained the wall in net. Soon though the mountain for the Fire to climb in order to get back in contention would become higher

Joe Allen and Michael Farn would contribute in quick succession to make the score 3 and then 4-0 a minute apart. Allen capitalizing on pressure and chaos in the crease area to make it 3-0. And Farn after once again pinching down from the point to go top shelf to make it 4-0 at 22 minutes.

The Fire would look to respond but despite plenty of possession it would always result in turn overs at the Hawks blue line, with the Hawks active sticks breaking up the play. Despite this the play kept flowing, with very few icing or offside calls as the only respite. During one of these at around 10 minutes coach Cornish would take the opportunity to swap Matt Colclough for Nate Gregory.

Soon after this, the WCW line would work its magic again. Webb and Carr would link up allowing Carr to go from wing to slot dangling the puck past the entire Fire team and firing past Lawday to make it 5-0 Hawks.

Again the Fire would try to get on the board as Price would create a breakout for Elias who would cut to the center looking to lift the puck over Gregory, but he is hassled all the way by Hawks defencemen and can't get the shot on target. But the shutout would break soon after as Haslam would win a corner battle for the puck and put the puck in to the crease area where Jordan Powell was skating in to squeeze it past Gregory, Bobby Orr style and make it 5-1.

Despite this spark of hope for the Fire, the Redhawks would soon put the Fire to the sword. First after a puck battle at the boards, Joe Allen and Jacob Ranson would find themselves on a breakaway effort, with speed and space in their favor, Allen found himself forced wide. Dumping the puck goalward it would be won in a goal mouth battle by Ranson who managed to back hand the puck five hole past Lawday and it was 6-1.
In quick succession the Hawks would make it 7-1, Ben Paynter and Aiden Doughty would bring the puck in and close on the net creating chaos as the Fire defense collapsed in on the net. This would allow Andreas Siagris to force home a lose puck, making it 7-1.

The Fire would call a time out after this, to try and regroup. Shortly after this the Hawks would take a Too Many Men penalty. Presenting the Fire a chance to mount a fightback. At first the Fire Powerplay looked dangerous, the Hawks penalty kill has been one of its strongest elements this year. But the Fire were able to stretch the PK out of shape, Powell would have the best chance in the slot area and was only just stopped by Gregory.

However after this early flourish, the Fire power play struggled to even gain zonal entry, eventually these struggles would lead to the Hawks 8th goal as Jordan Gregory engineered a breakout. Watt would skate in down the wing un-apposed and getting in close would put it through Lawdays five hole to make it 8-1 Redhawks.

Carr would round out the period for Streatham making it 9-1. Going it alone, again the Fires passive fore check allowed the Hawks centreman to cut inside before he was forced out wide. But he was able to get a pass cross slot to Brendan Baird pinching down from the point to fire it past Lawday and make it 9-0

The second period was all Streatham, having been unable to find a finish in the first, they found all the finish in the second. The Hawks were scoring so quick I almost missed some goals as I was noting the scorer in the program. The Fire's style, in playing passively and backing off to avoid penalty trouble had created the trouble of being unable to stop the Hawks doing what they wanted to with the puck.

3rd Period

Fire would win the opening face off for the 3rd, but the Hawks had opted to park the bus and force the fire to engage in an energy sapping physical game by dumping it to the corners. While when on the offensive the Hawks were looking for tip in goals by firing pucks through the crease area.
David Manning would look to make something happen, as early on he was able to carry the puck in alone from the neutral zone. But Gregory was able to deflect this wide. Manning would then link up with Elias and Prince to get a shot in from the slot but again Gregory was able to save this.

Soon the Fire would get another chance at trying to add to their total on a holding penalty to Brendan Miles. But again despite a promising start from the Fire power play unit, the Hawks would eventually force the puck up high in to the neutral zone. This would see Watt and Webb collect the puck on a turn over and try to score another short hander on a cross crease pass. Hart would answer back for the Fire getting through all by himself and trying to go back hand high on Gregory but he was stripped of the puck.

Eventually they wold be rewarded though, with Nate Gregory out of the play after a collision at the boards the Fire would work the cycle on the opposite side. A shot wold be fired in but intercepted, Tamas Elias would collect the lose puck and squeeze it home to make it 9-2.
Alex Sampford and Jacob Ranson would finish off the game soon after though, with the Fire's players having tired a fresh Sampford and Ranson were able to exploit speed to carry the puck in 2 on 1 and out dangle Lawday at the finish to make it 10-2

Post Game

After seeing the performances the Fire had put in the weekend before, I was worried this game could be a bit of a banana skin for the Hawks. With the Fire finally clicking to get points on the board I said this game may not be an easy win. However the short bench created a situation that meant the Fire had to bunker down and hope luck went their way. Unfortunately playing a passive fore check against a team like Streatham with so many high energy, offensively gifted will only get you so far. Jordan Lawday deserved his man of the match beers, he single-handedly was able to keep the score 1-0 for the duration of the first. And despite the mounting scoreline kept making saves. The old hockey adage goes he was hung out to dry by his D. On some goals this may have been true, but fact is when your team only has 10 skaters and they're all exhausted the goals are going to mount up when you're facing a full bench. Despite that Josh Haslam, Jackson Price, Jordan Powell and Tamas Elias where all players who deserved the beers as well. As what little offence was being created was often driven by them.

For the Redhawk's as the saying goes you can only beat whats in front of you, and in sports like hockey all you can do is keep pushing forward to put the puck in the net, and they did this a lot this game. Joe Allen was deserving of the beers, his line was a constant threat and he was the creative spark behind it. As always the WCW line was working to deadly effect, between them Watt, Carr and Webb combined for 4 goals and 4 assists on the night. With Ryan Watt making a bid for goal of the season with his back hand spinorama goal.

Up next for the Hawks its another single game weekend, a Sunday road trip to Invicta, the Hawks will be looking to extend their undefeated streak against the Mo's. Before rounding out the season with a visit to Peterborough and the season concluding game against the Mo's ahead of the play offs. The Hawks will need to pick up as many of the points on offer in the next 3 games, and hope their opponents drop some in the race for 4/5th place with the Raiders and Bee's both within striking distance going in to the final two weeks.

Hawks Eye View: WCW Sunday Night Nitro

SUNDAY 18/02/18

NIHL SOUTH 1

STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS INVICTA DYNAMOS

So first, have decided to rethink the naming of Streatham game posts. As I have migrated to the upper deck of the High Road I have decided to rename these posts as Hawks Eye View.

Pre Game

Streatham came in to this game, seeking to maintain the 100% record they had built against the Dynamos. Trying to stay in the chase for 5th place, the Redhawk's needed a win after being shut out the week before by Peterborough and a 6-2 defeat to Swindon the night before. With Chris Cooke returning to the line up the Hawks were back to a 5 man D corps.

The Dynamo's came in to this game under strength, as Ryan Morgan, Louis Colvin and Josh Condren were all scratches. With 14 skaters and having been taken to overtime the night before by Cardiff Fire the Dynamo's would need to dig deep, and find a way to slow the pace of the game down in order to not become exhausted. Given that the favoured approach of the Redhawks is one that reallies heavily on their speed this was going to require the Dynamo's to be very physical.

1st Period

The Redhawks would win the opening face off, but the game would have a very cautious start as both sides looked for a way through the others defenses. The Hawks however decided to abandon their usual center ice stretch pass route and opted for a more physical approach dumping pucks in to the corners. While the Dynamo's attempted to counter by trying to take the ice up the center through to the slot area.

The first real chance came after Siagris was able to dump the puck from the blue line towards the waiting stick of Adam Carr who's tip attempt was saved by King. Shortly after Ranson and Rose would combine on a 2 on 1 attack but again King was able to pad the puck away. Two minutes in and the Redhawks would find themselves on the PK as Jacob Ranson found himself being called for holding Mason Websters stick.

The Hawks PK has been one of the strongest aspects of this team, and once again the PK's discipline shone through, as they held the Dynamo's puck carriers to the outside and maintained solid spacing throughout. This allowed Carr and Allen to break out, Ralph would try to break up the passing between the two of them but the rebound would be gifted back to Carr who found a way to stuff it under King and make it 1-0 to the Hawks.

Invicta would try to answer back with the rest of its power play, but again the Hawks PK was keeping the Mo's puck carriers to the outside, only allowing point shots. Ralph would have the best of these chances but with Colclough on form and any attempts at a screen being cleared nothing was getting through to the net.

With the penalty killed, the Hawks took control of the game, Doughty would go close going end to end unchallenged, cutting in from the boards and almost firing one past King from close range. Invicta would fire back as Webster and Strawson would find Osman wide open, but Colclough had the shot spotted and made the save.

The Hawks would extend the lead, going 2-0 as Adam Carr added to his tally for the night. Baird and Watt would work the puck round the cycle to find Carr who would work hard to get the puck in front of net and lift it over King to make the mountain the Mo's had to climb higher.

7 minutes later, the Hawks would extend the lead even further. Taking advantage of a series of turn overs in the neutral zone Ranson and Webb would find a way in 2 on 1 with Strawson the last line of defense. Webb would use the screen this created to fire the puck net-ward. The deflection caught King off guard and ended up in the net 3-0 Redhawks.

The 1st Period would end 3-0 to the Hawks. It had been a mixed period. The Hawks passive Defensive fore check had allowed the Dynamo's to gain zonal entries, however any shots that they could get off Colclough was able to deal with. Also the Hawks were winning the battle of the boards clearing pucks from dump attempts.

2nd Period

The Dynamo's would win the opening face off of the second, and changed up the game plan. Dumping pucks and trying to skate at the Hawks. However the start of the period would see a slightly blunt start from both teams offenses. With the puck trapped in a neutral zone turn over trap.
But the Dynamo's would try to break this cycle by switching to cross crease passes and crashing the net, trying to create tip ins and rebounds.

However the WCW line would strike again to make it 4-0 to the Redhawks. Adam Carr would skate in unchallenged on a 2 on 1. With the Dynamo's D backing off this left Ryan Watt open to collect a cross slot pass, Watt would fire in to the net and make it 4-0.

The Dynamo's would finally find a way to answer back a minute later. The Hawks passive fore check allowed a turn over in the neutral zone. Allowing Jaroslav Cesky to exploit an opening and skate in unopposed, before dekeing the puck around Colclough to break the shut out and make it 4-1.

This goal served as a boost to the Dynamo's as they, became more aggressive going forward and more assertive on the puck. Forcing turnovers in the neutral zone and hemming the Hawks in their own end. However they were unable to convert this possession in to scoring chances, until an errant clearance attempt by Siagris allowed Cesky and Connolly to combine for a shot Colclough was again able to save

3rd Period

The 3rd period would see another stuttering start, as a series of whistles by the officials kept killing the play. Then Tom Ralph would take a cross checking penalty when the Mo's were on the break. The Hawks would work the Mo's PK hard on the following power play, but despite forcing the Mo's PK to collapse in on their own net the Hawks could not find a way to extend the lead

After successfully killing the penalty, the Mo's became more aggressive again crashing the net, Webster and Ralph would come close forcing saves out of Colclough trying to force tip ins and rebounds. When unable to get the puck in to the central slot area, the Mo's would resort to ranged shots at the point with Ralph being used as the point man here.

The Hawks had begun to sit back at this point, with a 3 goal lead, all they needed to do was park the bus and try to catch the Mo's on the break. The Dynamo's were still being allowed to get pucks in to the center slot area but Colclough eiter saved anything net bound, while the defense was doing a solid job sweeping the zone clear.

However Ryan Watt would put the final exclamation point on  the game at 48 minutes,converting a power play after Brandon Webster was called for charging. The Hawks would move the puck around the outside of the penalty kill box that the Mo's had set up. Doughty, and Farn would move the puck around for a perfect tic tac toe goal as Ryan Watt would beat King five hole to make it 5-1

With a 4 goal lead the Hawks went in to shut down mode for the final 12 minutes, and unfortunately for the Dynamo's it looked like the short bench and overtime the night before had finally taken its toll. The Mo's would be gifted a late power play, but the units sent out looked disorganized and seemingly had no game plan as every attempt at working the puck in was repelled.

In the closing minutes, Webster and Cesky would try to pull something else off for the visitors. Ralph would come close on a point shot, as the deflection off Colclough's blocker would force a dramatic save on the rebound as the Mo's crashed the net. However the Mo's became gassed at this point as the short bench finally took its toll. The Hawks would pen the Dynamo's in their own end, effortlessly able to move the puck around and cause chaos around the net. But despite chances for Webb, Siagris and Ranson the Hawks could not add to the scoreline. 

The Game would end 5-1 to the Hawks, maintaining the 100% record on the season and giving the Hawks a much needed win after 2 defeats in a row.

POST GAME

After 2 defeats in a row, that win was much needed for the Hawks. And keeps them within striking distance of 5th in the league mathematically. This was a strong performance by the Hawks at both ends of the ice. Matt Colclough thoroughly deserved his MOTM beers as aside from a very well executed solo effort from Cesky he was able to turn away everything thrown at him. In with a shout as well was the members of the WCW line. Watt, Carr and Webb ran rampant tonight collecting 4 goals between them and the Dynamo's had no answer for them.

The Dynamo's put up a fight, and while other visits by the Dynamo's in the past have turned in to penalty heavy slug fests, this game they stuck to a game plan that showed they can play hockey when not spending large portions of the game on the PK. Jaroslav Cesky was well deserving of the MOTM beers for the visitors. Along with Mason Webster Cesky worked tirelessly to try and make something and peg back the free scoring Redhawk's. Down to 14 skaters however, and having been taken to OT the night before it was clear that despite the discipline of the Dynamo's and the wealth of possession they had they had nothing left in the tank by the end.

Up next for the Redhawk's, as the season enters the final straight, its the Cardiff Fire. On paper this looks like an easily bankable 2 points. But the Fire have suddenly clicked and begun to find a way to compete as was evidenced by taking both the Dynamos and the Wildcats to OT on consecutive nights. Combined with the exciting prospect in net of Jordan Lawday the next game at the High Road could be close. With it being the only game for the Hawks next weekend this will be a must win in the race to make 4th.

Swooping In:Redhawks Haunted By Missed Chances

NIHL SOUTH 1 

STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS PETERBOROUGH PHANTOMS

SUNDAY 11/02/18

Pre Game

So first, a big thank you to the Streatham Redhawks, as I was the winner of the weeks twitter competition and so my flat mate and I got to enjoy this game compliments of the Hawks. 

The Redhawks came in to this game, off the back of a 6-0 victory over the struggling Cardiff Fire. The week before had been a weekend of two halves as the Hawks had been felled 5-2 in Swindon before only just managing to defeat local rivals London Raiders 4-3. 

Coach Cornish's defence corps would find itself depleeted this evening, already without long term injury victim Adam Wood. The continued absence of Chris Cooke would mean Michael Farn, Brendain Baird, Jordan Gregory and James Warman rotating all night long and not getting much of a rest between shifts. 

Some describe the hockey of the Peterborugh Phantoms as boring, and unexciting, I do have to agree its not the most thrilling hockey I have seen. But I have always followed the belief in hockey that while flashy goals and spectacular saves may draw at the box office. So do wins on the baord and thats what the Phantoms have succeeded at doing a lot this year, they get the job done. If the Hawks were to get anything out of this game and collect the final ex EPL scalp in thier collection for this season they would need to find a way to shut down the offensive arsenal at coach Koulikovs disposal. Nathen Salem, Will Weldon, Ales Padelek, Darius Pilskauskas and Leigh Jamieson would all bring plenty of high level experience and point scoring ability in to this game. 

1st Period

The Hawks would win the opening face off, but they would ultimatly come under pressure first. Eventually the Hawks would fail to deal with this pressure getting stretched out of shape, as the Phantoms found moving the puck around quite easy as the Hawks passive defensive zone play gave them space to do so. 

Then at 1:36 the Phantoms struck as a bad line change from the Hawks lead to an interception at the blue line. Colclough would save off the following shot but could not cover the rebound and during the chaos in front of net Will Weldon was able to stuff home the puck to make it 1-0 Phantoms. 

Looking to answer back the game Redhawks turned to stretch passes from the end of the rink and up. However the Phantoms were looking to cancel this by trappinga nd forcing turn overs in the neutral zone. 

The Hawks looked a little disjointed going forward, with my flat mate noting how the spacing of the players was too bunched up on the puck. No one was looking to exploit space and create openings. However in a stark comparison at 3:41 when the Phantoms went on the Powerplay after Brendan Baird took a 2 minute slashing penalty trying to stop a breakaway chance. The Hawks players spacing was disciplined and despite the Phantoms holding most of the possesion, they couldn't make it work and Colcough was able to save any shot that made it through. 

The neutral zone clogging of the Phantoms was making a gauntlet for the Hawks players to run, regardless of whether going wide or up the middle there was always an active stick or player in the way. Only Ryan Webb, Andreas Siagris and Jacob Ranson were able to be effective at running this. However they would carry so much speed their line mates would find themselves either choked off or facing immediate counters as they were stripped of the puck. 

At the half way point Michael Farn and Ryan Watt would combine for a tip in attempt but Euan King, soon after Siagris would again find a way through the gauntlet, but unlike last week against Romford the small speedster would be muscled off the puck. This turn over would spark another counter attack as the Phantoms took the puck up the wing, Owen Griffifths providing the creative spark that would lead to Nathen Salem feeding a wide open and waiting Ales Padelek who netted the puck to make it 2-0 Phantoms. 

Ryan Watt would seek to claw a goal back soon after breaking in and firing low from the top of the circle, aiming to exploit Kings five hole. But King was faster and made the save. The Period would end with sustained pressure on the Phantoms net, with the Hawks looking more organised and going close on several occasions with Watt, Carr, Webb and Siagris all trying to force opportunities from up close. While the ranged artillery at the Hawks blue line tried to find the right type of screen in front of King but the Phantoms held on. 

2nd Period

The Redhawks would begin the second period looking a lot more organized. While still using a passive defensive strategy focusing more on choking off the puck carriers options than hitting the puck carrier, they would use this method to soak up some early pressure before using the wings this time to break forward

While in the first they Hawks had surrendered the neutral zone this period they began making a claim for the zone themselves. Both sides now faced a gauntlet of sticks and the game became a series of counter attacks off of turn overs. 

On one such attack Hayes Farn and Doughty would find themselves in 3 on 1, but King was just about able to make a spectacular save moving post to post as the Hawks tried to catch the goalie in motion. The Hawks would go agonizingly close around the half way mark as King was forced to stack the pads in dramatic style as Webb got in close with the puck. In the ensuing mele it looked like the puck was net bound 4 times, but no one could get enough lift on the puck to force it over Kings stacked pads. 

The Phantoms had endured nearly a whole period under fire from the Hawks offence, unable to make possession count, as turn over after turn over was forced. And the Hawks found ways to clear the pucks, eventually though Leigh Jamieson and Ales Padelek would find ways to close in and get chances that forced Colclough in to desperation saves. 

The period would end with a disagreement on the ice between Will Weldon and several members of the Hawks bench. Which would earn Weldon a 10+2 penalty to start the third. 

3rd Period

The Redhawks had done half of the job they needed to in the 2nd period. They had held the scoreline to 2-0, not allowing the Phantoms to add to this score. With a power play to start the period the Hawks would have a good chance to claw a goal back. 

However the 4 on 3 power play to start the period was not fruitful. The Hawks moved the puck around but not in a way that drew Phantoms penalty killers out of position, and a lot of shots found themselves blocked. 

Going back to 5 on 5 seemed to create more opportunity for the Hawks, Alex Sampford and Ryan Webb would attempt to create something breaking in with speed Webb would head to the net and look to tip a cross crease pass from Sampford. But again King would smother this. 

At 14:57 A high stick on Andreas Siagris from Jamieson gave the Hawks another Powerplay chance, but again the Hawks could not find a way through the aggressive penalty kill of the Phantoms, despite multiple attempts by Siagris to create something driving the play towards the net. Every attempt at crashing the net would see Hawks players stripped of pucks, and rebounds would fall in places that no Redhawk was standing. 

Having killed off this penalty the Phantoms decided to try and kill off the game, and began to really pressure the Hawks net, looking for a third. But now just like his opposite number in the Phantoms net, Colclough was turning everything he faced away. 

The best chance in the last minutes of the game would go to Aiden Doughty, breaking in off a dump up the wall Doughty found himself with time and space to take a shot that looked goal bound, it had beaten King but rang off the iron and away. Shortly after Ryan Watt would take a tripping penalty trying to stop a Phantoms goal opportunity. 

The Hawks would end the game on the Powerplay looking to break through the wall in the Phantoms net, but nothing the Hawks tried, no wrap around or cross crease pass or point shot could find a way through. And so at the final buzzer the game would end 2-0 to the Phantoms

Post Game

Euan King, would collect the man of the match beers for the Phantoms. And this was well deserved. King stood on his head and soaked up all the pressure put on him, and stole the game for the Phantoms. Other mentions have to go to Ales Padelek and Nathen Salem, who were a constant threat both on and off the puck. The Phantoms came in with a plan and executed it well, they controlled the neutral zone for long periods and that guaranteed victory as Streatham could not find a way to break through the gauntlet of active sticks. 

In the programme, Jeremy Cornish had said the previous weekend saw the exact same team take to the ice, but in games that generated different results. The same was true here, the Hawks had found 6 ways to score the night before but, but this night they were very much on the receiving end of that frustration. Matt Colclough was given the man of the match beers, a sign of how close this game had been. Colclough deserved this as he had done all he could to keep the Hawks in the game. I felt Andreas Siagris deserved this equally, though he failed to score, the Canadian has found a rich vein of form in recent weeks, and tonight was another example of this as he was constantly driving plays and trying to create something. Sadly the poor first period was what cost the Hawks on the night, as with each save Euan King became more and more confident. 

The Redhawks will look to bounce back next weekend, but with a trip to Swindon next on the schedule it may be a tough task. However this team has shown time and time again it can compete with the ex EPL sides, and have beaten the Wildcats once this season already. Sundays game against the Dynamo's represents a better opportunity for the Hawks to bag some points and close the gap with the Raiders and the Bees in the play off chase.