Juniors Review: Bulldogs 18s stage stirring fightback to land fair share as 12s complete season

GOAL-DEN GENERATION: Tom Mardell (left), Kyle Bower and Rhys Edwards all got on the board for the Bulldogs at the weekend.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ Under-18s ensured they got their fair share when they staged a stirring comeback in a 12-goal thriller at Division One North rivals Kingston Sharks.

Trailing 6-2 with just over 10 minutes remaining, the game looked done and dusted for the visitors, but they were able to plunder four goals in just under seven minutes to ensure they headed back home along the M62 with a deserved point.

They had actually taken the lead through a shorthanded Tom Mardell strike at 11.40, although it was an advantage quickly wiped out by Ethan Daintith’s reply just over a minute later.

Another quick exchange of goals early in the second saw Rhys Edwards cancel out Kohen Taylor’s go-ahead strike for the Sharks, the Bulldogs player then going close to making it 3-2 when awarded a penalty shot, only to be denied by the Sharks goalie.

Two goals in five minutes - the first a shorthanded strike from Daintith at 29.59, followed by a second for Taylor - put the Sharks in control, a position they strengthened further just over five minutes into the third when Taylor completed his hat-trick before Hulks made it 6-2 at 45.11.

The game looked gone for the Bulldogs until hope arrived in the shape of Mardell’s second strike at 49.34 and when Edwards doubled his own tally on a delayed penalty just over minute later, the comeback was well and truly on.

It became a one-goal game when Edwards completed his hat-trick on another delayed penalty at 54.33, the Bulldogs’ youngster going on to ensure he enjoyed hero status for the day when his fourth of the game - at 56.32 - brought the teams level.

Under-12s end 2022-23 season with impressive display at Blackburn

Bulldogs Under-12s brought the curtain down on their season in an entertaining game at Blackburn Hawks Academy.

The visitors got off to the perfect start when Noah Marfleet - guesting from Manchester - put them ahead with just 63 seconds on the clock.

Zac Grimes replied for the hosts, who found themselves trailing again when Kyle Bower restored his side’s lead at 6.11 only for Christian Roth - guesting from Leeds Junior Knights - to bring the teams level again.

A second for Bower ensured the Bulldogs went in 3-2 ahead at the end of the first but it was in the second period where the momentum of the game shifted.

Roth’s second of the game made it 3-3 at 20.33 although Bower sealed a fantastic hat-trick to put the visitors ahead for a fourth time just under two minutes later.

The game was soon turned on its head, however, when the Hawks scored four goals in five minutes, Christian Peters levelling at 24.18 before Grimes (2) and Roth completed their hat-tricks.

Bower’s fourth in the 31st minute gave the visitors hope going into the third period at just 7-5 down but three goals in as many minutes - from Peters and guest players Jason Newbiggin and Max Phillips - took the game away from them.

Hayden Dowling - guesting for the Bulldogs from Manchester - made it 10-6 in the 43rd minute before Blackburn completed their victory with further strikes from Phillips and Grimes.