Phoenix 5 Mercian Menace 0, Phoenix 7 Billingham Bombers 2

MANCHESTER Phoenix under 16s had a superb four-point weekend as they chase a promotion play-off place in their first season.

Incredibly, the equatorial temperatures in Manchester in recent days caused ice problems at the Altrincham Ice Dome on Saturday and this forced a hasty venue re-arrangement to Deeside for Saturday's clash with the Mercian Menace.

Normal service was resumed on Sunday when the under 16s entertained the previously unbeaten Billingham Bombers.

Saturday saw possibly one of the most one-sided games of hockey the team have played, as the Phoenix outshot the Coventry-based Mercian team with 66-5, in the process of notching a comfortable 5-0 shutout victory.

Netminder Nicole Jackson did well to stay awake as the first 30 minutes saw her face just one shot.

Tom Hammonnd, back in action after suffering a broken arm earlier in the season, scored twice with Ben Brown, Mike Hoskins and Josh Healey adding single markers apiece.

Phoenix were expecting a much stiffer game on Sunday as Billingham arrived in Altrincham, but once again, the home side were quickly into their stride, jumping out to a three-goal lead by the first interval.

Doubling their lead in the second session, Phoenix expected the Bombers to hit back at some stage and they did, winning the third period 2-1.

But it was too little, far too late for the visitors against a Phoenix team focussed on their promotion push.

Hammond again bagged a brace, as did Paul Swindlehurst with Ben Brown, Josh Healey and Harry Sims also on the scoresheet.