Bulldogs in dogfight to make NIHL North Two play-offs

ON TARGET: Kacper Andrukianiec scored in the 9-3 defeat KIngston Sharks - his 16th of the season. Picture Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS find themselves with a fight on their hands to make the NIHL North Two play-offs - with just three games to ensure they are part of the post-season. 

A 9-3 defeat at Kingston Sharks last weekend saw the Bulldogs’ losing streak stretched to five games but they remain in seventh spot with eight teams assured of extending their 2024-25 campaigns. 

Nottingham Lions 2 sit two points off the Bulldogs in eighth - having played the same number of games - while Sheffield Titans are a point further back but, crucially, with two games in hand. 

They are set to face the Bulldogs in Bradford for what is now the final game of the regular season for the Yorkshire rivals on Sunday, March 30 - a match-up which could potentially determine who makes the play-offs. 

Before then, the Bulldogs face two tough games - both at home - against third-placed Billingham Buccaneers  - on March 9 - and Sutton Sting who could still be pushing for the regular season title when they come to The Pound on March 16.

Before they come to Bradford, Sheffield also have home games against KIngston and Nottingham, with road trips to Altrincham and Billingham.

In Hull last Saturday, the Bulldogs again found themselves heavily outshot but still in contention after the first 20 minutes, going ahead at 8.36 through defenceman Ben Darbyshire, only to then fall behind after two goals from Ethan Daintith.

The Sharks extended their lead in the second through further strikes from Scott Howells and, at 34.27 on the power play, from Mackenzie Barker.

But the Bulldogs - with two-way Leeds Knights 2 forwards Rocky Jenkinson and Rocco Mallon in their ranks, along with Widnes Wild’s Jared Knowles - got themselves back in the game just over five minutes into the third period when Kacper Andrukianiec made it 4-2. 

But by the time the visitors found the net again in the 54th minute through Knowles, the game was gone, with the Sharks having plundered three more goals from Jay Musson, Tom Humphries and Lewis Rogers. 

After Knowles reply there was still time for the hosts to beat Jake Lowndes in the Bulldogs net twice more, Daintith completing his hat-trick at 55.18 before Howells doubled his tally with a power play marker just over two minutes later.