Bulldogs suffer more home misery as play-off hopes fade

BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ saw their already-fading play-off hopes take a further hit when they went down 7-1 at home to Sutton Sting.

The defeat extended the Bulldogs’ losing streak to four games and leaves them nine points off Sheffield Titans who currently occupy the fourth and final play-off spot.

There are 12 games remaining, so there remains hope, but it is going to require a significant turnaround in terms both of results and performances to stand any chance of making the post-season.

The hosts - missing Josh Reynolds, Kieran Clarkson and Jack Wooding through injury or illness - were up against it inside the first seven minutes when they fell 2-0 behind, Elliott Meadows twice firing past Sam Bolwell as Sutton dominated the opening exchanges.

It got better in the second period for the hosts, certainly in terms of chances created but they couldn’t find a way past Lewis King while, at the other end, they slipped further behind, Charlie Saunders making it 3-0 at 25.37 before Oliver Watson piled on the agony for Bradford with a fourth at 33.52.

Again, in the third, Bradford created plenty of scoring opportunities but they were undone early on when the Sting went 5-0 ahead less than two minutes into the period through Matt Jeffcock.

Meadows completed his hat-trick at 48.54 and the scoring was completed just under five minutes later when doubled his tally to make it 7-0, the Bulldogs grabbing a late consolation for their efforts through Mark Higson at 57.02.

The Bulldogs are in action once again this weekend when they make the trip east towards the coast to take on second-placed Hull Jets.