Bradford Bulldogs juniors' come up empty on frustrating weekend

TARGET MAN: Frank O'Sullivan was in the goals at the weekend, scoring twice for the Bulldogs' Under-14s and once for the Under-16s. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

IT was a busy weekend for Bradford Bulldogs’ juniors, but it was to prove a frustrating couple of days. 

Four teams, from the Under-12s through to the Under-18s, were in action, but none were able to secure any festive cheer as they all came out on the losing side.

On Saturday, the Under-16s got off to the ideal start against Telford on home ice when Tyler Hall scored from close-range with just over four minutes gone.

Telford replied five minutes later through Tayor Stanton’s short-handed strike and although the hosts went back in front again when William Durgan struck at 11.29, that was the last time they would enjoy any advantage. 

Two goals from captain Ryan Leese and a strike from Rheiden Bott-Allison ensured the visitors went in 4-2 ahead at the first break and only three minutes of the second period had elapsed before the impressive Stanton sealed a deserved hat-trick to leave the Bulldogs trailing by four.

That deficit was cut to two when, first, Frank O’Sullivan and then captain Daragh Spawforth fired back only for Telford to pull away again when Stanton bagged a fourth at 25.06 and Leese completed his hat-trick just over a minute later.

Bott-Allison doubled his tally early in the third, with Stanton completing a memorable performance when he fired home a fifth goal at 39.06 for a 10-4 win.

Earlier, the Under-12s hosted Manchester Storm but they went in at the first break trailing 2-0 through strikes from Billy Birds and Augustin Balaz.

The Bulldogs found themselves 4-0 adrift with 25 minutes gone after Thomas Sharples and Noah Marfleet strengthened the visitors’ grip on the game, although hope arrived for the hosts when captain Thomas Lee got his team on the board early in the third.

TIMELY: Captain Thomas Lee gave his team hope with a third period strike against Manchester, but it couldn't prevent a 6-2 defeat. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

Thomas Andrews then reduced the deficit to 4-2 at 39.13 but, as the Bulldogs pushed for a third they were hit at the other end by a fifth Storm goal from Jacob Severn, his team-mate Sharples doubling his tally and making it 6-2 with just 58 seconds remaining. 

On Sunday, Bradford Ice Arena was again the venue when the Under-18s took on Nottingham.

In what was always likely to be a tough test, netminder Callum Preston was kept busy all afternoon, with 86 shots raining down on his goal throughout the 60 minutes.

The hosts found themselves up against it early on when they went 4-0 down inside 10 minutes, Luke Birchnall (2), Daniel Martin and Nicholas Martin all getting on the board. The lead doubled by the end of the first period through strikes from Theo Rooke, Sheene-Fuller, Tyler Somerton and Alex Rushby.

Nicholas Martin doubled his tally and Birchnall sealed his hat-trick for the visitors before the Bulldogs were finally able to get on the board with two goals in the space of seven seconds towards the end of the second, Damarni James breaking the hosts’ duck at 37.08 before Daragh Spawforth made it 10-2.

But Nottingham matched that feat early in the third when Birchnall grabbed his fourth 42.36 and Somerton his second eight seconds later to make it 12-2.

Mackenzie Barker fired a reply for the Bulldogs at 45.07, but Harry Exley, Daniel Martin and Nicholas Martin found the net at the other end as the visitors ran out 15-3 victors to continue their bid for the league title.

The Under-14s took to the road to face a Nottingham side who they were level on points with going into the game, but just came out on the wrong side of a 10-goal thriller.

They got off to the ideal start when Frank O’Sullivan put them ahead with just 2.06 on the board but, in a theme that would continue all evening, Nottingham’s Ewan Woodward levelled for the hosts just over a minute later with a power play strike.

SOLID: Jacob Mardell was in excellent form for the Under-14s in their defeat at Nottingham. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

Danny Harrison restored the visitors’ lead at 5.47 only for Woodward to strike 87 seconds before the end of the period to ensure the teams went in level at the break.

Woodward sealed a deserved hat-trick just 47 seconds into the second and made it four for the day just under two minutes later when the hosts found themselves on a five-minute power play.

But the Bulldogs held firm and were able to hit back quickly while on the penalty kill when O’Sullivan reacted quickly to fire home a rebound to make it 4-3 at 17.51.

That was how it stayed - with Bulldogs' netminder Jacob Mardell excellent all afternoon - until the prolific Woodward made it 5-3 with a short-handed strike at 36.33, only for the Bulldogs to make their power play count when Harrison forced the puck home from close range to reduce the deficit to just one again at 37.24.

But as the Bulldogs pushed for the equaliser, it was that man Woodward again who broke clear to make sure of the points, recording a double hat-trick with just 52 seconds remaining to ensure a 6-4 win.