WHITLEY WARRIORS 8 BLACKBURN HAWKS 5 MARK Stokes called the shots last night as Blackburn Hawks opened their play off campaign stage two with a narrow defeat at Whitley Warriors.

Stokes, one time player coach at Blackburn, turned in a stunning one-man show to leave Hawks on the wrong end of an 8-5 scoreline.

Stokes scored four times and took the man of the match award, but it could have been so different for the Blackburn side.

Despite trailing early on Hawks roared back to score three in a row and hold a firm advantage at the end of period one.

But they were taken apart early in period two when the Warriors scored four times in four minutes.

The brave Hawks managed to reduce the arrears to 7-5 at one stage in period three but a late goal sealed their fate.

It was a battling effort against the Stokes-inspired Warriors but Hawks now face a mountainous challenge if they are to make an impact on their group.

Period scores: 1-3, 4-1, 3-1.

Score sheet: Neil Abel 2+0; Simon Mills 1+0; Ismo Rokala 0+1; Patrik Ferlander 1+0; Bobby Haig 0+1; Todd Bidner 1+1.

Colin Downie turned in a brilliant performance as Hawks' net minder and one consolation was that everyone came through unscathed to be available for the weekend double header away at Paisley Pirates tomorrow and at home to Fife Flyers on Sunday.

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