TALENTED young netminder Harrison Walker celebrated his call-up to the Great Britain Under 18s squad by producing a man of the match performance in Blackburn Hawks' 6-4 Midland Cup win over Solihull Barons.

With both teams already through to the semi finals, it was only bragging rights that were up for grabs at the Blackburn Arena but thanks to Walker’s heroics – which earned him the MVP award – it was the Hawks who took the honours.

Walker has been one of the Hawks standout players this season and his performances have earned him his place on the roster for GB squad for the Under 18s World Championship Division II Group A in Tallinn in March.

GB will come up against hosts Estonia, along with Korea, Lithuania, Romania and Serbia.

The six-team IIHF tournament will be held in the Tondiraba Ice Hall and will run from March 22-28.

Walker was in top form in the cup clash on Sunday as he inspired the Hawks to victory after producing a string of fine saves.

After a fairly even opening 10 minutes, it was the visitors who went ahead with Niklas Ottoson opening the scoring. And that lead was doubled three minutes later by Richard Slater and the Barons led 2-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Both teams left it all on the ice in the second period and there was very little to choose between them as the game went end-to-end – both teams scoring two goals a piece – player/coach James Neil and Joe Greaves for the Hawks and Ottosson and Matt Maurice for the Barons.

The Hawks played with real grit and determination in the final period, striking early in the second minute with a cracker from Petr Valusiak to reduce the away team’s lead to a single goal.

A penalty shot for Hawks’ local lad James Riddoch was then coolly put away after he was brought down while through on goal before Hawks capitalised through Aaron Davies – going ahead for the first time in the match with six minutes remaining.

Hawks showed some gutsy defending as the Solihull Barons didn’t give up but couldn’t find a reply as Walker repelled everything that came his way.

And the visitors’ hopes were dashed as an empty net goal from James Royds sealed the win for Hawks.