Bulldogs get back to winning ways by taming the Wild

GET IN: Bulldogs’ players celebrate their 5-2 win at home to Widnes Wild 2 on Sunday. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography.

TWO goals apiece for Connor Medley and Chris Waites saw Bradford Bulldogs get back to winning ways as they overcame Widnes Wild 2 5-2 at The Pound on Sunday.

The Bulldogs had gone into the game on the back of a three-game losing streak - including home defeats to the top two of Sutton Sting and Sheffield Scimitars.

They had met the Wild in pre-season and enjoyed a 4-1 win but, after a competitive first period in their first league meeting, they took control of the game in the middle section.

Captain Paul Lane was first to strike from in front when he latched onto a pass from below the goal-line by Josh Stockton to beat Wild netminder Ollie Booth to his right-hand side.

TAKE THAT: Bulldogs’ Kacper Andrukianiec puts a hit on Widnes’ Jake Berry during Sunday’s NIHL North Two clash at The Pound.

The Wild hit back quickly, though, Ryan Coss pouncing on a loose puck in front of the net to beat Lewis Curry, making his first league start in between the pipes for the Bulldogs.

Only 62 seconds had passed, however, before the Bulldogs got themselves in front again, when Chris Waites scored from the right circle after a Connor Medley pass bounced kindly off the boards into his path.

It was Medley who doubled the lead just under 10 minutes later, getting a touch on a Josh Guy blast from the blue line to redirect past Booth.

Two minutes later it was 4-1, Waites doubling his tally when he took a pass off the boards from Medley before slotting home low in the right-hand corner.

Hope arrived for the Wild when they pulled one back in the 47th minute through Charlie Campbell, who produced a neat finish to beat Curry from close range after a smart pass from David Hrubovsky.

The Wild pushed for a way back, but the Bulldogs controlled most of possession and continued to enjoy the greater share of the chances.

Booth was pulled for the extra man and after a couple of long-range efforts missed the net, Medley grabbed his second with a long-range shot from inside the Bulldogs’ zone to secure three valuable points.