"WHEN you walk in the storm, hold your head up high," goes the famous song and it was the Blackburn heads that were proudly aloft after this magnificent victory over their closest and bitterest rivals.

If there were any remaining doubts about Hawks title credentials, they were simply blown away in a pulsating live-for-Sky encounter that leaves the Blackburn side four points clear of British Ice Hockey League Division One.

The British attendance record didn't go 8,975 packed into the magnificent Nynex Arena - but Storm's unbeaten record was consigned to the history books in more emphatic fashion than the final score suggests.

Only the by-now customary third period slackening off by Hawks allowed the home side a thin veneer of respectability after a devastating second period had seen the visitors roar into an unassailable 10-4 lead.

And Hawks recovered from the worst possible start, going a goal down after just 34 seconds as the strutting largely-Canadian Storm passed the puck around with a touch of arrogance.

But from the moment Mancunian Paul Fleury equalised with a screamer from the tightest of angles, Hawks' nerves were calmed, and though they went 2-1 down shortly after it was to be the last time Storm enjoyed the luxury of the lead. Hawks turned in a performance that was so committed and at times almost demonic that Storm had no answer and could only find an outlet in a series of unsavoury incidents that saw both teams almost permanently represented in the sin-bin.

By he end of period one Hawks had a slender 4-3 advantage, but the visitors onslaught in the second left Storm dazed and confused as the 1,000-strong away support made a mockery of the announcer's repeated declarations that: "We don't boo the visitors here, we cheer our team twice as loud." Hawks' jubilant followers taunted the expensively-assembled home team with a chorus of "what a waste of money."

Fleury was again on the mark as home netminder Downie boobed and a sharp piece of opportunism from Jon Cotton emphasised Hawks' reliance on predominantly home-grown talent.

It was inevitable that Storm would show something in the last period, but a piece of wizardly by John Haig extended the lead to 11-4. After a brief home flurry the inspirational Ryan Kummu completed a hat trick to allay any Blackburn nerves, before three more home goals proved too little, too late.

"Our team spirit came through on the night," said manager Mike Cockayne, "we knew what their strengths were and stuck to our plan and with our forwards we're always going to score goals. I can't single anyone out because it was a team effort, but the support was fabulous."

It was a sweet return to the Nynex for Fleury, released by Storm earlier this season: "On the night we were six or seven goals better, and the scoreline flatters them. Obviously I wanted to score, but the important thing is we won" After Manchester coach John Lawless's pledge to 'kick Blackburn's butts' it was the sad Storm who trooped off with the sore backsides.

Period scores: 4-3, 6-1, 2-5.

Scoresheet: Fleury 2 + 2, Sinkov 2 + 3, Chartrand 2 + 3, Kummu 3 + 1, Cotton 2 + 1, Haig 1 + 3, Pennycook 0 + 2. Hawks entertain Peterborough Pirates on Sunday (face-off 6pm) with no game this Saturday. Hawks supporters and players have two events at the Manxman arranged for fans to meet players and management. There's a Race Night on Wednesday, November 22 (£3, £2 supporters club members) and a Christmas Buffet and Disco on Wednesday, December 13. Inquire at the Arena for tickets.

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