ANGRY supporters believe the sacking of five players could cost Blackburn Hawks the national title.

The club's management has also come under attack with fans claiming they are "taken for granted" and "left in the dark."

Hawks followers were stunned last week when a shock cost-cutting exercise saw five players released, Chad Brandimore, Kevin Doherty, Colin Downie, Simon Mills and Tim Dempsey.

Spokesman John Taylor, treasurer at Hawks' Official Supporters Club, says: "The timing of this is just awful and so is the way they went about it. We are particularly upset by the loss of Simon Mills and Tim Dempsey because they were such loyal players who were with us for so long. It's a sad state of affairs and it leaves you feeling badly let down. Whether we can go on and win the league remains to be seen."

Hawks officials have refused to shed light on the situation, but the following appeared in Saturday's match night programme.

Attributed to the team management it stated that "hard and unpopular" decisions had been taken in order for the sport to survive in Blackburn. It added: "The whole organisation is committed to fulfilling this season's goal, namely an assault on the league title."

Meanwhile, Lamonte Polet produced a one-man super show at Oxford last night as Hawks stayed clear at the top of the English Premier League.

Polet scored five times as Hawks beat Oxford Foxblades 9-5. Hawks had the game sewn up by the end of the second period, leading 8-1. Tempers frayed in the final period with fights breaking out on the ice and Hawks suffering several penalties. Hawks player-coach Bobby Haig won the most Valuable Player award - a timely prize after his most testing week in charge. On Saturday in a challenge match at the Arena which attracted a crowd upwards of 1,000, Hawks beat old rivals Altrincham 16-8 - Billy Price and Tom Burridge both "guested" for the visitors with the former scoring a hat trick.

Saturday details: Hawks 16, Altrincham 8. Period Scores: 4-2, 6-3, 6-3. Scoresheet: West Barnet 0+1, Matt Jones 1+2, Wayne Slater 1+0, Len Giacalone 1+0, Jamie Thompson 1+2, Dan Mackriel 4+1, Bobby Haig 1+4, James Beale 0+1, Jim Pennycook 1+0, Brian Smith 3+2, Lamonte Polet 3+3.

Sunday details: Oxford 5, Hawks 9. Period scores: 1-2, 0-6, 4-1. Scoresheet: Lamonte Polet 5+0, Andrew Dickson 0+4, Brian Smith 0+1, James Beale 2+0, Bobby Haig 0+2, Dan Mackriel 1+0, Tom Burridge 0+2, Matt Jones 1+1, Len Giacalone 0+1, Gordon Whyte 0+1.

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