BLACKBURN HAWKS spent more time on the road than the ice last weekend, experiencing mixed fortunes in back-to-back cup and league games.

Peterborough Phantoms away in a re-arranged Premier Cup tie was always going to be tough, but sandwiched between a seven hour round trip made the task more difficult.

The hosts, who play at a higher level, overran the Hawks by 18-3 on Saturday but 24 hours later, the Hawks got back to winning ways, overpowering Bradford Bulldogs 7-2.

At Peterborough, the Phantoms notched a commanding 10-0 advantage in the first period, before Hawks' coach Bobby Haig got a game plan together.

He said: "We switched Robbie Smith for Colin Downie in the nets and he went on to play a blinder. He had to deal with 66 shots which tells you how the match went.

"We never expected to beat them, but we can draw some positives from the tie. Four Under 19 'B' players were drafted in to boost the lines and they all played a part. One of them, Craig Ainscough, even celebrated his first

team debut with a goal."

Chris Black and David Sheffield also netted for the Hawks. For Haig, the weekend priority was to beat Bradford in the English League. And having beaten them 15-0 at the Arena, they crossed the Pennines as

odds-on favourites.

The Hawks peppered in 37 shots to the Bulldogs' 17, Gordon Whyte, Michael Brunton and David Sheffield grabbed a brace apiece with Haig adding a seventh.

PETERBOROUGH PANTH...18

BLACKBURN HAWKS...3

(Findus Premier Cup)

BRADFORD BULLDOGS...2

BLACKBURN HAWKS...7

(English National Hockey League North)