Billingham bombers hopes of securing a playoff spot were put on hold as they failed in their mission to secure points in a double game weekend.

On Saturday the Bombers lost out 4 – 1 to local rivals Whitley Warriors, then suffered a 4-2 defeat on the road at Sheffield.

Bombers home game played out as a true derby match, in front of Bombers largest home crowd this season.

Goals from Whitley`s Dan Murdy and Bombers Ricky Box kept the game tied until eight minutes from the end.

A well worked Warriors break out cut through the Bombers for DJ Good to put the visitors ahead. Billingham pushed forward looking to tie the game but a nice pass picked out Nathan Taylor on the red line who skated in one on one with Flavell to hit the Warriors third.

With the clock ticking down Billingham pulled their keeper to gain the extra skater but the puck fell to Warriors veteran player coach Simon Leach who fired a superb length of the ice shot into the empty net.

Less than 24 hours later Bombers skated out against Sheffield Spartans.
With Bombers still without top scorers Paul Windridge and Andy Fletcher (injured) the game got off to a frantic start, end to end hockey with both sides forcing saves, the breakthrough came two minutes from the end of the first when Scott Ward picked his spot and lifted the puck home to give the Teessider`s the advantage into the break.

A 2 minute interference call on Billingham’s Ollie Lomax was compounded when Lomax collected a 10 minute misconduct, Sheffield levelled on the power play, only to move ahead on a solo effort 12 seconds later from Tom Squires.

Billingham penalty calls continued to mount and the Bombers played off a 5 on 3 without loss. A dubious hooking call against bombers Richie Thornton left Bombers fans guessing, a 10 minute misconduct penalty against Ricky Box added to the Bombers penalty woes.

Sheffield took a 2-1 advantage into the final session adding their third on the power play.

With nine minutes to play Bombers found themselves on a 5 on 3 power play, a long range blast from Richie Thornton was tipped in by Scott Ward to cut the home side advantage. A fourth from Sheffield’s Andrew Hirst three minutes from time sealed a Spartans victory.

Bombers Coach Terry Ward admitted his side had not taken their chances in front of goal;

“We did not finish, in both games this weekend the hard work was done but we could not put the biscuit in the back of the net”

Allen Flavell admits the numbers still don’t add up;

“ We are perhaps two points away from securing the fourth place, playoff spot, I had hoped to get something out of these two games, we were drawing with Whitley with only 8 minutes to go, it seems cruel to come out of a game like that on the end of a 4 – 1 loss.