Bulldogs endure tough start to season at Billingham

TOUGH DAY: Bradford Bulldogs battle for the puck in front of their net in their opening day defeat at Billingham Buccaneers. Picture courtesy of Paul Ali.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS found it tough going on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 NIHL North Two season, going down 7-0 on the road at Billingham Buccaneers.

Given the summer of change at The Pound in terms of personnel, it is going to take some time for new faces to bed in and fill the holes left by retiring veterans such Dean Boothroyd, Josh Stockton and Connor Medley. 

The Bulldogs battled hard at The Forum against the 2023-24 play-off champions, but were always up against it after falling 3-0 behind inside seven minutes. The second period was a more even affair, but the Buccaneers, who finished fourth in their first season at this level last time out, had too much for the visitors. 

Head coach Andy Brown said: “It was a tough evening for our team, but we knew it was going to be like that against a Billingham team who last season proved to be a very effective group.

“We gave up goals that we didn’t need to and if it hadn’t have been for Jake (Lowndes, netminder) it would have been a lot worse, particularly in the first period.

“The second period was more like what I want to see from our group.“

Josh Nertney broke the deadlock with only 1.57 on the clock, his early strike being added to just 36 seconds later by a strike from Stephen Wallace. 

Before the Bulldogs could respond, they were 3-0 down at 7.00 by a second from Nertney. 

The second period saw the Bulldogs come into the game more, putting 17 shots on Chris Outhwaite’sgoal, but the only goal came at the other end when Jake Lowndes was beaten by Anthony Price at 38.23. 

The Bulldogs, led by new captain Kieron Furlong for the first time, retained hope of taking something from the game until the 49th minute when Jake Burdon made it 5-0, the Buccaneers enhancing their superiority further with further strikes from Lennon Thomas and Lewis Hall. 

This weekend sees the Bulldogs start their home campaign when they welcome Coventry NIHL Blaze. 

Face-off is at 5.30pm, doors open at 4.45pm. Entrance cost is as follows: Adults, £6; Concessions (OAPs and Under-5s-16s) £3; family ticket (2 adults, 2 Under-16s) £15. Under-5s £1.

Elsewhere, the Bulldogs’ Under-18s were in action at The Pound, when they played host to Sheffield IHA.

In what was always going to be a tough ask with several key players missing, the Bulldogs produced a performance oozing a never-say die attitude.

After falling behind to an third-minute strike from Will Weaver, the Bulldogs held firm, although they went in 3-0 down at the first break after further strikes from Weaver and Leland Walker.

Joseph Matthewman and Harry Roebuch increased the visitors’ lead before the Bulldogs hit back through a long-range effort from captain Danny Harrison at 26.27.

DOWNED BUT NOT OUT: Bulldogs' Under-18s battled hard before succumbing to a 9-2 defeat at home to Sheffield IHA. 

Walker and Weaver increased their personal tallies before the end of the second period, before Lewis Swaffield - via a penalty shot - and Matthewman increased the lead to 9-1 by the 45th minute.

That was as good as it got for Sheffield, with the Bulldogs redicing the arrears when Harrison netted his second of the game at 54.26.