Bradford Bulldogs downed by Hull Jets on the road

BUSY DAY: Ryan Wardell endured a tough afternoon in the 9-1 defeat by NIHL North Two rivals, Hull Jets, saving 42 of the 48 shots that rained down on his net in the first two periods. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

A ROAD trip to NIHL North Two title-chasing Hull Jets was always going to be a tough assignment for Bradford Bulldogs - and that’s exactly how it proved.

The Jets had come into Bradford just two weeks before and, following a third period goal blitz, taken two points back down the M62 with them on the back of a 9-4 win.

Short on numbers, the Bulldogs battled hard to hold their own in a first period which saw them outshot 2-to-1 but down by just the one goal.

But it was the second period where the game unravelled for the visitors when they conceded a further five unanswered goals, the Jets rounding off comprehensive 9-1 victory with three more in the third.

There were only 15 seconds of the first period left when the deadlock was eventually broken, with Boris Giba finding a way past Ryan Wardell.

But it was three goals in five second period minutes where the greatest damage was done, Adam Jasecko scoring either side of a 29th-minute James Maugham marker.

Wardell faced 27 shots alone in the middle period and was unable to prevent the hosts going further ahead through Ryan Kemp at 37.46, the Jets going 6-0 ahead with just 18 seconds before the second intermission thanks to a Tom Forster strike.

That was how it remained until the 50th minute until Ellis Martin extended the home side’s lead, Sam Bolwell having replaced Wardell in net for the Bulldogs.

The one highlight of the evening for the visitors came shortly after when Mark Higson got them on the board at 51.11 and the chance to add to that came a few minutes later when they went on the power play.

But being on the man advantage for the fourth time in the game only brought more agony as Hull struck two short-handed goals, the first through Forster at 57.24 before Richie Haggar marked his return to the club 25 seconds later.

How the teams stand after the weekend of January 28-29 (courtesy of NIHL Stats)