THE STORM at the Arena is the ice hockey equivalent of United at Ewood - hatred may sound a touch strong, but it's deadly accurate.

Love 'em or loathe 'em, they packed the place - a section of Saturday's home contingent sporting a banner which ventured to suggest that Manchester Storm had simply "bought" the championship.

Whether Storm's storming season can be wholly attributed to outrageous transfer dealings is debatable. The fact is they are a cracking side and Hawks need feel no shame in failing to live with the top dogs during the final third of the season.

It was a men versus boys occasion with Hawks missing the likes of Ryan Kummu, Lee Cowmeadow, Jim Pennycook and Malcolm Bell.

But no one seemed to enjoy the result more than a face familiar to the Arena - Mark Stokes.

Like every old boy on a return he got his share of boos and jeers, but seemed to particularly relish scoring an outstanding goal - Storm's 10th - in period two.

For a time it was fairly close and when Hawks made it 2-4 early in the second period there were sings of a titanic tussle in the making.

It didn't materialise with Hawks scoring just twice more while Storm helped themselves to a further 13.

The period scores finished: 1-4, 2-6 and 1-7 with the home scoresheet reading: Steve Chartrand 1+1, Oleg Sinkov 1+2, John Haig 1+1, George Powell 1+0, Jon Cotton 0+1, Paul Fleury 0+1.

At Bracknell last night in the final scheduled league game, Hawks ended with another reverse, but gave a spirited performance against the third-placed Bees.

Horatio Schlinger picked up the man of the match award as Hawks were out-shot 66-32, but manager Mike Cockayne said: "Apart from the result there was plenty for us to feel happy about.

"We are short on numbers at the moment, but this was a gutsy effort and it could have gone either way."

The consistent Chartrand scored both Hawks goals with two assists apiece from skipper Haig and Sinkov.

So, for the moment, that's it and Hawks can look back with immense satisfaction on a season which has brought them second spot.

Hawks play-off fixtures: Sat March 9 v Bracknell (H); Sun 10 v Milton Keynes (A); Sat 16 v Milton Keynes (H); Sun 17 v Guilford (A); Sat 23 v Bracknell (A); Sun 24 v Guilford (H)

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