Bulldogs Junior Review: Under-14s and Under-12s back in action
SOLID AS A ROCK: Jacob Mardell impressed for the Under-14s when turning away 61 of the 64 shots on his goal against Sutton Sting.
BRADFORD BULLDOGS Under-14s bounced back from their heavy defeat at Leeds by registering their first win of the North One campaign.
They had to endure some late nerves as they allowed visitors Sutton Sting back into the encounter before holding out for both points.
Charlie Farrow broke the deadlock for the home team when he scored with 9.24 on the clock, the lead doubled just over a minute later through captain Thomas Taylor.
Barely two more minutes had elapsed when Taylor doubled his tally and made it 3-0 to the Bulldogs as they took control of the game.
LEADING LIGHT: Under-14s captain Thomas Taylor scored twice in the 4-3 win over Sutton
But there was plenty of work to be done at the other end, with Jacob Mardell called upon to turn away 27 shots in the first period alone.
It was a similar theme in the second period with Sutton enjoying greater possession and zone time. But they couldn’t find a way back into the game, their plight worsened when Alfie Edmondson struck with just 25 seconds of the period remaining to make it 4-0.
That is how the scoreline looked like it would stay until the last two minutes, when a crazy 36-second spell allowed Sutton to pull within one goal.
Oliver Straw struck twice for the visitors - either side of a Harry Lindley effort - but the Bulldogs held on to get their campaign up and running at the third attempt, Mardell turning away 61 of the 64 shots he faced.
Earlier in the day, the Under-12s enjoyed a competitive battle with Yorkshire rivals Kingston, who eventually emerged 6-1 winners.
The hosts found themselves 2-0 down inside seven minutes through strikes from Sebastian Gevelar and Charlie Purvis.
HITTING BACK: Thomas Andrews got on the board for the Under-12s in their 6-1 defeat at home to Kingston.
It proved to be an even affair thereafter, the Bulldogs making it a one-goal game when Thomas Andrews raced clear to fire home at 32.22.
But Kingston restored their two-goal lead before the end of the second through a 35th-minute effort from Charlie Hall.
The lead stretched to 4-1 with a goal from Elliott Beddoes, before the points were made secure by the visitors with further third period strikes from Alfred Tennison and Joshua Cole.