Bulldogs tame Lions in remarkable 19-goal thriller
WHILE delighted to post a first win of the 2022-23 NIHL North Two (Laidler) season, Bradford Bulldogs head coach Andy Brown admitted he’d prefer not to go through any more 19-goal thrillers.
Trailing 7-4 with just under 20 minutes to play, the Bulldogs looked done for at home to Nottingham Lions as they looked to rebound from their 4-1 opening night defeat at Coventry Blaze a week earlier.
But they staged a remarkable third period comeback, posting five unanswered goals to establish a lead they eventually held on to despite some late pressure from the visitors.
Spare a thought, too, for Nottingham’s Tristan Grimshaw - scorer of five goals but still on the losing side.
"That was some game, although not the kind of game I've been involved in too often over the years - thankfully!" said a relieved Brown.
"To be honest, when we went 7-4 down in the third - conceding that third goal in less than two minutes effectively - I thought we were probably done for.
"But to come back the way we did says a lot about this team.
"Like I've said before, with losing a number of players for various reasons over the summer, this is very much a transition year for us. But that win - while no doubt entertaining to watch as a spectator - shows we've got a lot of character and that we are capable of staying in games and that, hopefully, we have a no quit attitude.”
A frantic opening few minutes saw Kacper Andrukianiec break the deadlock with just 2.20 on the board, although the visitors edged ahead with strikes from Jake Fisher and Grimshaw, the hosts getting back on level terms through Connor Medley’s power play strike at 5.37.
The game settled down thereafter and it wasn’t until the 19th minute that the net bustled again, this time it was Sam Bolwell’s when she was beaten by Joe Howie.
Nottingham doubled their lead just before the halfway mark through a penalty shot from Grimshaw but the first sign of the Bulldogs’ powers of recovery came soon after, getting back on equal terms through Tomas Mitrik and a power play goal from 16-year-old Rhys Edwards at 36.35.
With just under 20 seconds remaining, it looked guaranteed that the teams would go in level at the second break, only for Grimshaw to strike twice in six seconds, sealing his hat-trick in the process.
At 41.29, the Lions went 7-4 ahead through Oliver Keeling and momentum was fully with the visitors. But, crucially, Archie Grayson struck 18 seconds later to give the Bulldogs a sniff of something.
Two goals in 10 seconds - the first from Damarni James on the power play, the second from Jack Wooding - then saw momentum swing back in the hosts’ favour, an advantage they pressed home further through a second for James at 50.10 with Edwards doubling his tally just under two minutes later to make it 9-7.
It became a one-goal game again when Michael Berehowskyj struck at 54.29, but Josh Stockton eased home nerves within 11 seconds to take the Bulldogs into double figures.
Grimshaw made it five for the night with 88 seconds remaining, but the Bulldogs hung on for a memorable win.
"If we can produce that many goals on a regular basis this season I'll obviously be very happy and we'll be fine,” added Brown. “But we need to make sure we tighten up in our own zone, too, because we shouldn't need to score that many to win by the odd goal.
"There's plenty to take away from it, though, and we’ll work on things in midweek ready for another big game this Saturday at home against Coventry."