Junior Review: Under-18s and Under-14s in Yorkshire derby duels

ALL ACTION: Will Durgan got on the board in the Under-14s defeat to Leeds, while Callum Preston and Jacob Brownlie made significant contributions during the Under-18s 7-5 defeat at Sheffield.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS Under-18s played their part in a 12-goal thriller at Ice Sheffield, counting themselves unlucky to be edged out by Sheffield IHA. 

Trailing 3-0 after the first period through goals from Sam Keeling, Ben Roebuck and Ben Cutts, the writing looked on the wall for the visitors.

But a solid performance in net from Callum Preston - facing 21 shots in the first period - enabled the Bulldogs to stay in the game, although they fell further behind to a second goal from Roebuck at 22.26 before they got on the board.

The fightback began when Rhys Edwards struck at 23.21 with the Bulldogs going on to reduce the deficit further when Daragh Spawforth pounced at 35.16. 

Edwards then doubled his tally with just 46 seconds of the period remaining to make it a one-goal game and with everything to play for going into the third. 

But Jacob Brammer was first to strike in the third, restoring the hosts’ two-goal lead with a power play strike at 42.20. That, though, only served to drive the Bulldogs on even more and they came back strongly again.

Lydia Lutwyche gave them hope when she reduced the deficit to one for a second time at 49.22 before the loudest cheers came from the away contingent when Jacob Brownlie levelled at 52.22.

NICE TIMING: Lydia Lutwyche got on the board to make it 5-4 in the Under-18s clash at Sheffield. Picture: Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

But the Bulldogs had barely stopped celebrating before Sheffield got their noses in front again, Brammer doubling his tally 16 seconds later to make it 6-5 before sealing his hat-trick with only 20 more seconds on the clock to secure a hard-fought two points.

On Sunday, Bulldogs’ Under-14s came off second-best to an impressive unbeaten Leeds Junior Knights, already crowned North One champions.

The visitors were left facing an uphill battle when they trailed 4-0 at the first break through two goals apiece from Evan Bradon and Harry Marshall.

The hosts went further ahead through Ben Elliott before the Bulldogs finally got on the board through Will Durgan’s blast from the right circle at 21.31. 

Defenceman Sebastian Mifek made it 6-1 at 27.33 before the hosts increased their lead further early in the third through Jonas Bennett. 

Frank O’Sullivan pulled one back at 31.09 but a game that was long gone saw the Knights pull further clear with Bradon’s hat-trick marker, plus further strikes from Mifek and Christian Roth, Danny Harrison grabbing a late consolation strike on the power play to make it 10-3.