Another win for Billingham Wolves came at Blackburn Thunderhawks by 9-1. In English U19 North promotion/relegation play-offs. Five victories from five outings and a 100 per cent record has seen them retain North A League status for the season 2002-03.

The result did not mean much to both sides except for personal success due to them having already secured a top two placing and keeping A League places for next season.

Wolves went a goal behind at 14.43 but were back on level terms only 22 seconds later with the first of five goals on the night from Stephen Wallace. There was plenty of action in the middle period which brought the visitors four goals for a 5-1 advantage.

Blackburn suffered penalty trouble when two of their players went for early showers at 25.23. Geoff Hunter and Wolves' Scott Ward clashed and both received roughing penalties, Hunter five minutes and Ward two minutes. In the penalty box Hunter started fighting with Ward and received an extra match penalty for his trouble after both parties had been pulled apart.

At the same time a second Blackburn player Chris Preston took a five plus game misconduct penalty for charging. These penalties gave Wolves a five on three powerplay for five minutes. Liam Telfer gave Wolves the lead at 26.02 and 23 seconds later Wallace made it 3-1. Wallace scored his hat-trick marker at 28.03 which put Billingham well in control with their third powerplay goal in two minutes.

Blackburn's captain Wayne Slater was sent to the penalty box on a ten minute misconduct in the 30th minute. Telfer's second goal of this game at 35.24 eased Wolves into a 5-1 advantage.

It was as before in the final period as Billingham continued to dominate. Wallace was on target for his fourth of the match after 49 minutes. Two minutes later James Udell scored Wolves' seventh goal which was hit first point for the U19s.

Wallace's fifth goal of the game came at 54.03 and the final strike was Jamie Pattison's with 71 seconds remaining. His first goal of the play-offs.

Wolves' outstanding play-off fixture is at Sheffield Scorpions, but unlikely to be played. A meaningless match which will have no importance. Therefore Wolves save on transport costs and Sheffield match officials' fees.

Wolves: Stephen Wallace 5+1, Liam Telfer 2+0, James Udell, Jamie Pattison 1+0, Scott Ward 0+3, James McCabe, Robert Dowd, David Flett, Shaun Buckley, Andrew Bennett 0+1.

Sunderland Commanches had a mixed weekend in the English U14 North promotion/relegation play-offs. In their two matches against Birmingham Rockets on Saturday the teams met at Hillheads and Birmingham scored twice in a minute for a 2-0 lead at 13.20.

David Holland and James Moutrey struck either side of the first break to level the scores at 22.47. Birmingham regained their advantage with three goals in as many minutes to go 5-2 ahead. Two further goals late in the match brought the visitors the points in a 7-2 victory.

In the Midlands the following day Commanches went ahead on the powerplay after three minutes. Birmingham equalised also on the powerplay with two minutes gone in the final period.

Richard Emerson put Commanches back into the lead with a brace of goals 20 seconds apart by 30.48. Rockets cut the deficit two minutes later. Nathan Salem restored Commanches two-goal cushion and assured a 4-2 win with a 38th minute goal.

Sunderland have two matches still to play and with Telford's 7-2 victory over Altrincham have already assured themselves of keeping North A League place for next season.

Commanches (at Hillheads): David Holland, James Moutrey 1+0, Daniel Pye, Jeremy Lundin 0+1.

(at Birmingham): Richard Emerson 2+0, Nathan Salem 1+1, Callum Hewitt 1+0, Holland 0+2.

Whitley Tomahawks travelled to Ayr Centrum Arena at the weekend to compete in the 2002 Lynn Pollock U16 tournament. Tomahawks finished fifth out of the eight participating teams.

They did not get off to the best of starts losing their first two matches, Inverness (5-3) and Paisley (7-1). Their final match on the first day brought a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock, the eventual runners-up.

Murrayfield awaited Whitley in the play-off stages on the second day. A 2-2 draw and overtime failed to provide a winner. Penalty shots did which Whitley won 2-1 with Philip Atherton and Michael Hoult scoring to go up against Inverness for a 5th/6th place play-off. The Tomahawks got the better of Inverness to win 5-3 and Hoult made sure of victory with an empty net goal just seconds from time.

Philip Atherton, Ian Emerson, Ben Campbell, Shaun Kippin and David Graham were among Tomahawks' scorers in Ayr. For Graham it was first goal for the club.

An excellent all round performance by the young side to achieve fifth place. Whitley Tomahawks English U16 North promotion/relegation play-off match at Blackburn Eagles on April 27 has now been declared a 2-2 draw. This was after discussions between English Ice Hockey Association officials Geoff Hemmerman (Northern Conference chairman/fixtures secretary); Bob Wilkinson (chairman, youth management committee) and Mohammad Ashraff (referee allocator).

In the match Whitley were beaten 2-1 and with 32 seconds Whitley were awarded a penalty shot. Ian Emerson stepped up to take it and scored for 2-2.

After celebrating Tomahawks found it was disallowed as a linesman had spotted that Blackburn's netminder had moved before the puck had been touched by Emerson's stick. Referee Roy Warren then ordered the penalty shot to be retaken which Emerson's shot went wide. Play then continued for the final 32 seconds and ended 2-1 to Blackburn.

Back in the dressing room after the match referee Warren realised he made a mistake and the goal should have stood. He then made telephone calls to league officials asking for the error to be corrected. This has now been done and the stats will now show a 2-2 scoreline.

Referee Warren has shown that on realising a mistake had been made he wanted to put it right. Referees do not always get praise when they sometimes should do. He was honest enough to try and make amends. Well done Roy.