Blackburn Rovers were not the only local team to enjoy a victory over Newcastle at the weekend Blackburn Hawks also brushed aside their North East opponents in the English National Ice Hockey League.

While Rovers triumphed at St James Park on Saturday, Hawk did the same against the Newcastle Vipers at the Arena just 24 hours later with an emphatic 12-1 win.

Hawks' most impressive victory of the season came shortly after a fantastic 8-0 victory over Solway Sharks in the Northern Crossover Cup the previous night.

Assistant manager Graham Lomax was understandably delighted with two superb performances and he firmly believes that Hawks are capable of keeping up that form for the remainder of the season.

"It was a very pleasing weekend from our point of view. Scored 20, conceded one, need I say more?

"We are where we want to be now and we just need to keep plugging away. Other teams are nicking points off each other so no-one is running away at the top. We are in a very good position, second place with a game in hand - it is up to us now.

"The league is obviously our main priority and we are doing very well in the English Cup. To do well in the Crossover Cup would just be a bonus.

We will concentrate on that when the league is out of the way.

The trip up to Scotland to face Solway Sharks in the Crossover Cup kicked off the action and, after a quiet first period with just one goal from Wayne Slater, Hawks took their opponents apart with four second period goals from Bob Chalmers, Scott Barnett, Bobby Haig and Ricci Hulme.

Hawks completed the rout with three more goals in the final period courtesy of Neal Haworth and a second each from Chalmers and Barnett.

It got even better for Hawks on Sunday as they demolished Newcastle thanks to a superb treble from player/coach Bobby Haig.

Adam Fuller opened the scoring in the first period followed by Haig's first of the evening. Four strikes in the second period through Michael Brunton, Ollie Lomax, Haworth and a second from Haig took the sting out of the Vipers. A frantic third period saw Hawks net six times beginning with a strike on just 28 seconds from Slater. Goals from Anthony Kinder, Chalmers, Haworth, Adam Leaver and Haig's third completed a fantastic night in front of increasingly expectant home supporters.