More Ball Hockey Nationals success for Bulldogs

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: Bradford Bulldogs retained their Under-13s title at the Ball Hockey UK Championships on Sunday. Picture: Spencer Bain.

BRADFORD BULLDOGS kept their run of ball hockey success for the season going when they won the Under-13 title at the National Finals in Rotherham.

The Under-10s came close to matching that success but were edged out in the final by Nottingham, while the Under-16s were unlucky not to progress after losing only one of their four games at the Bench Buddy Arena.

The Under-13s got their bid for glory underway in impressive fashion when a Danny Harrison hat-trick, a Sam Bain double and a marker from Frank O’Sullivan saw them to a comfortable 6-1 win over Sheffield Steelers.

A Harrison double then gave then saw them edge out Nottingham 2-1 before a second meeting between the two saw them win 6-1, Harrison (3), O’Sullivan (2) and Leo Marsden getting on the board.

Into the final and the Under-13s proved just as ruthless against Sheffield, Harrison (3), O’Sulivan (2) and Bain finding the net in a 6-1 triumph.

Earlier in the day, the Under-10s got their schedule off to a winning start with a 3-1 win over Sheffield, Kyle Bower (2) and Timur Sprogis getting the goals.

A 5-2 defeat to Nottingham followed, with Camron Helliwell and Harry Clarke finding the net for the Bulldogs before they bounced back with a 3-0 win over South Leeds Rams, a Bower double helping them on their way, along with another strike from Clarke.

GRAND DAY OUT: All the Bulldogs' players impressed during Sunday's Ball Hockey Championships in Rotherham on Sunday. Picture: Spencer Bain.

That was enough to earn them a place in the final where, despite a goal from Bower, they went down 2-1 to Nottingham.

The Under-16s proved tough to beat in their competition, but also found wins hard to come by, finishing the day with three draws and a solitary defeat.

An eight-goal thriller with Sheffield got the ball rolling with Ethan Daintith (2), Frank O’Sullivan and Daragh Spawforth among the goals.

Spawforth was on target twice in the 2-2 draw which followed against Nottingham, but a 2-1 defeat followed against Sheffield, with Daintith getting the Bulldogs’ goal. A 0-0 stalemate with Nottingham brought their bid to an end.