Bradford Bulldogs tame Nottingham Lions to maintain encouraging start to NIHL North Two season
LEADING THE LINE: Josh Stockton found his scoring touch when plundering a hat-trick against Nottingham Lions 2. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.
DESPITE securing a second win in as many games Bradford Bulldogs head coach Andy Brown is looking for significant improvement from his players ahead of a big weekend for the team in NIHL North Two.
A Josh Stockton hat-trick allied to further strikes from the in-form Lucas Vince (2) and Tom Mardell secured a 6-3 win for the Bulldogs at home to Nottingham Lions 2 on Sunday.
But, for Brown, the scoreline could and should have been much clearer for the home, who head into back-to-back games this weekend against Coventry Blaze NIHL and unbeaten early leaders, Sutton Sting.
“Yeah it was good to get that second win, but we didn't play our best hockey,” said Brown. “To only win the one period is disappointing but, right now we're building and we'll take the points. Going forward, though, we need to be better.
“Our D-zone was not the best all game and offensively we created chances but then just seemed to make the wrong decisions at the end - we should really have scored eight, nine 10 goals, if I’m honest.”
The deadlock was broken when the energetic VInce pounced on a loose puck 10 yards out and fired home past the right-shoulder of goalie Deacon Hardy with 5.07 on the clock.
But Nottingham - beaten 14-2 on their most recent visit to Bradford Ice Arena last season - showed there was unlikely to be any repeat when they levelled just over a minute later when Finnley Wall beat Sam Bolwell.
MUST DO BETTER: Bulldogs’ head coach Andy Brown is hoping to see an improvement from his players when they take on Coventry and Sutton this weekend.
The game had just gone past the 10-minute mark when Stockton made his mark for the home team to restore their one-goal advantage when poking home a rebound, a lead that was doubled at 13.06 when Vince won a face-off in his own zone and sped away for a shorthanded strike.
A stretch pass from Joe Howie found Mardell free on the edge of the Lions zone, the youngster taking a few quick steps before back-handing into Hardy’s top left-hand corner to make it 4-1 at 16.24.
But the Lions dug in and refused to lie down, getting themselves back in the game with a strike from Harvey Smith at 24.07.
Stockton doubled his tally just before the halfway mark when he was found all alone in front of net by Connor Medley, from where he fired past Hardy to make it 5-2.
MOST VALUED: Tom Mardell received the Bulldogs’ ‘Spirit of the Game’ award after the 6-3 win over Nottingham Lions 2.
But it wasn’t until late in the third period that the points were truly made safe when Howie found Stockton, who cut inside and rifled home into the top left-hand corner at 56.11 for his hat-trick.
The game may have been settled, but there was still time for a nicely-taken back-hand finish on a breakaway from Nottingham’s Luke Birchnall with 34 seconds remaining., a touch harsh on Bolwell who impressed in turning away 35 of the 38 shots on her goal.
Brown added: “They had plenty of pace and were quite a young team - well-organised but they probably just lacked a bit of experience.
“No disrespect to them, they came and worked hard for 60 minutes and we didn't. That was something I asked for from the team before the game - but I didn't get that.”
Tom Mardell got the ‘Spirit of the Game’ award for the Bulldogs, with Tyler Poole chosen as Nottingham’s star performer.