Bulldogs edged out by Titans in Cup clash

YORKSHIRE DERBY: The Bulldogs took on Sheffield Titans at Ice Sheffield on Saturday,

BRADFORD BULLDOGS came off second best in their opening game of the HockeyHound Cup, going down 8-6 at Sheffield Titans. 

In a competitive game, the two teams went blow for blow in the first 40 minutes - tied at 4-4 - but it was in the third where the hosts proved more clinical. 

The game started in promising fashion for the visitors, who forged ahead inside two minutes when Danny Harrison marked his Bulldogs’ seniors with his first senior goal.

The hosts were soon level though Harry Roebuck at 3.46 but they found themselves trailing 3-1 when Dave Williams restored the Bulldogs lead from close range at 15.10 before Ollie Massey doubled the advantage just five seconds later with a bullet from the left circle. 

A second for Roebuck made it a one-goal game again in the 19th minute before a five-minute boarding plus game call on Ben Fox left the Bulldogs up against it at the end of the first .

The Titans took full advantage, Roebuck completing his hat-trick on the power play with just 30 seconds remaining.

The Bulldogs managed to get through the rest of the penalty kill at the start of the second without conceding further, but a roughing call on Jared Knowles at 28.08 saw Lewis Swaffield take just eight seconds to take advantage of the extra man to make it 4-3. 

A rocket from the right circle by Kai Hathaway at 39.37 saw the teams go in level at the end of the second and the third period was less than two minutes old when the Bulldogs took the lead again, neat build-up play from Knowles and Harrison setting up Hathaway for his second of the game. 

A second for Swaffield saw the hosts pull level again at 45.44 before they got ahead again through Milly Thulbourne at 52.04. 

The celebrations had barely died down for the home side before the Bulldogs were level again, Harrison redirecting a Hathaway pass from the right boards into the net. 

The flurry of goals continued, though, Swaffield completing his hat-trick at 53.19 to make it 7-6 and, as the Bulldogs chased an equaliser, they pulled goaltender Jack Mickevicius, allowing Harry Illingworth to secure the win with an empty-net strike.