Bradford Bulldogs win Under-13 Ball Hockey National title!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Bradford Bulldogs Under-13s celebrate becoming Ball Hockey UK National champions.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS are celebrating being champions after winning the Ball Hockey UK Under-13 National Finals title in Rotherham at the weekend.

The Bulldogs, whose Ball Hockey section has only been running for a few months, had three teams in the tournament, with Under-16s and Under-10s also competing at the Bench Buddy Arena on Sunday.

But it was the Under-13s who came away with honours, unbeaten against Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Huskies in the round robin stage before beating the Huskies 4-0 in the final.

The Bulldogs opened with a convincing 8-1 win over the Steelers, Daragh Spawforth leading the way with four goals, with Kieran Smith (2), Frank O’Sullivan and Danny Harrison also getting on the scoresheet.

LEADING THE WAY: Under-13s captain Frank O'Sullivan scores in the 9-1 win over Sheffield Steelers at the Bench Buddy Arena.

Next up, Nottingham were put to the sword 6-0, with O’Sullivan and Spawforth bagging two apiece, with Harrison and Harrison Booth also finding the net. 

Already assured of a place in the final, the Bulldogs went one better in their second clash with the Steelers. Spawforth led the way again, this time with a hat-trick, while O’Sullivan (2), Booth, Harrison, Charlie Barker and Jacob Mardell got in on the act in a 9-1 win.

A second meeting with the Huskies took place in the final, with the Bulldogs made to work hard for their 4-0 victory, one sealed with a brace from O’Sullivan and markers from Spawforth -  who finished with 10 goals for the tournament - and Harrison.

WARNING SHOT: Bradford Bulldogs Under-13 Danny Harrison tries one from long range against Sheffield Steelers on Sunday in Rotherham.

Earlier in the day, the Under-16s were unlucky not to make it through to their own final having proved a good match for the more experienced Steelers and Huskies.

Brett Harper scored a late equaliser to earn a deserved 1-1 draw with Sheffield, while goals from Tyler Hall and Tom Mardell looked to be enough for a hard-earned point against Nottingham, only for the Huskies to snatch a 3-2 win with a goal in the closing seconds.

ON TARGET: Under-13 Jacob Mardell fires in a shot on the Sheffield Steelers goal on Sunday.

A win was required in the second round robin meeting with Sheffield, but the Steelers edged it 1-0, the Bulldogs closing out their tournament in a dead rubber against the Huskies which ended in a 3-0 defeat.

The Under-10s went head-to-head with Nottingham in four games, but couldn’t quite find a way to emerge with a win.

Our Under-10s get ready to take on Nottingham Huskies at the National Ball Hockey Finals in Rotherham.

Kyle Bower scored in the opening 3-1 defeat and after a 2-0 loss, Vilem Scherks and Leo Marsden found the net in a game which Nottingham won 4-2.

Bower and Marsden were on the scoresheet again in the final clash, but it couldn’t prevent a 5-2 loss.