Weekend Review: Injuries begin to bite as Bulldogs suffer at hands of Jets
BRADFORD BULLDOGS saw their winless streak in all competitions stretched to four games when they were on the receiving end of a 7-1 defeat at Hull Jets.
It was the second reverse of the season in East Yorkshire for Andy Brown’s team who had lost out 8-5 in the Laidler Cup back in November.
“It was another tough one for us,” admitted Bulldogs' head coach Brown. “The guys gave their all but Hull were dominant for most of the game. With the number of injuries we’ve got there’s certainly not going to be any easy games for the rest of the season.
“Sam was outstanding in the net all night and kept the score line respectable but the few chances we made we didn’t convert, so the outcome only ever looked like it would go one way.”
The Jets came into the game on the high, having beaten Telford Tigers 7-6 on aggregate in the final of the cup the previous weekend.
And they were clearly determined to retain their unbeaten record in the league, dominating the first period and throwing 19 shots on Sam Bolwell’s goal.
But a short-benched Bulldogs hung in, only letting the one goal on them when Ryan Kemp put the hosts ahead on the power play at 16.14.
The pressure continued in the third, Bolwell turning away 26 of the 28 shots on her net, the Jets edging further ahead through strikes from Dan Hackford - shorthanded at 24.20 - and a second for Kemp at 35.00.
The game disappeared from the visitors’ sight, however, when they conceded twice in the space of a minute early in the third, Alex Kent pouncing at 42.04 with Ellis Martin making it 5-0 shortly after.
Reward for the hard-working Bulldogs finally came in the 50th minute when Josh Reynolds struck with his sixth of the season, Josh Stockton and Alex Lutwyche getting the assists.
But Hull soon restored their five-goal lead through Declan Jones before Adam Jasecko completed the scoring on the power play at 56.02.
The Bulldogs are back on home ice this weekend when they host Altrincham Aces in a 4.45pm face-off on Saturday.
Bulldogs 18s salvage point in stunning comeback
Bulldogs Under-18s produced a stunning comeback from three goals down at Manchester Storm to earn a point in a 3-3 all draw.
Bailey Yates had given the hosts a 2-0 first period lead, one which was extended by Jordan O’Brien’s marker at 30.33.
But, crucially, the Bulldogs got on the board with a swift reply, captain Damarni James again leading the way when he made it 3-1 at 31.10.
The best was yet to come though, when Jack Wooding struck while the visitors were shorthanded at 38.22 to make it a one-goal game, Rhys Edwards on hand with the assist as he had been for James’s opener.
Momentum was with the Bulldogs and they made it count early in the third when Wooding was on hand to set up Matthew Cross to draw his team level at 44.10.
Bulldogs Under-12s maintain unbeaten record for season
The Under-12s maintained their unbeaten record and remain hot on the heels of top two Leeds and Manchester with an 8-0 win at Kingston Sharks.
The game was effectively won in the first period, with the mercy rule kicking in just 29 seconds into the second.
Seven of the goals came in the first period, Eleanor Simpson getting things underway at 2.44 with Louis Brook and Thomas Lee getting on the scoresheet inside nine minutes.
Kyle Bower made it 4-0 at 11.24, with Will Durgan increasing the lead just over a minute later. William Simpson struck at 13.57, Harley Lucas at 15.31 before Kieran Smith scored the last official goal early in the second.