Bulldogs v Sutton Sting - match report
LOSING CAUSE: Sam Bolwell makes a save during Sunday’s 9-4 defeat at home to unbeaten leaders Sutton Sting. Picture: Jason Devanney/ViewFrom Up Here Photography
A SLOW start proved costly for Bradford Bulldogs as they fell to a 9-4 defeat at home to unbeaten NIHL North Two leaders Sutton Sting.
Three weeks earlier, the Bulldogs had entertained 2025-26 regular season champions Sting in a warm-up challenge game and lost out 4-1.
But any hopes they had of pulling off a shock win against their Nottinghamshire rivals was effectively over by the end of the first period.
The visitors went into the intermission 4-0 ahead and had increased that lead to six goals before the Bulldogs finally got on the board through Chris Waites’ pinpoint effort in the 28th minute.
Lucas Vince (2) and Connor Medley also found the net, but the Bulldogs had left themselves with too much work to do after the first 20 minutes.
“It was a tough one for us against a very strong side,” said Bulldogs’ Player-coach Dave Williams.
“Sutton are one of the best sides we will face this season and there is a reason they were so successful last season. They were very well-organised, clinical when moving the puck and were a constant threat in the offensive end.
FIRST RESPONDER: Chris Waites celebrates the Bulldogs’ first goal of the night against Sutton Sting. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography.
“We competed with them for large parts of the game and created plenty of opportunities, but they took full advantage of the mistakes we made. Against a team like that, you simply can’t afford to switch off.”
Sutton came out of the blocks flying en route to their fifth win in as many games, Morgan Glasby firing them into a 2-0 lead inside seven minutes.
Adam Brooke Smith then poked home a loose puck in front at 17.14 before Ryan Apsley broke free down the left and beat Sam Bolwell from the left circle.
After Chris Waites went close to reducing the deficit early in the second, play then broke down the other end with Apsley beating Bolwell one-on-one to make it 5-0 at 21.28 before Cameron Akers had time to pick his spot just under two minutes later.
The Bulldogs opened their account at 27.13 when good work by Medley kept the puck alive in the Sutton zone, allowing Declan Kime to pick out the advancing Waites who fired home low to Nathaniel Bell’s right.
DOUBLE DELIGHT: Lucas Vince took his goals tally for the season to three with two against Sutton Sting. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography
But Morgan Glasby restored the six-goal lead before the halfway mark when weaving his way to the net and backhanding home for his hat-trick goal.
A failure to clear the zone from a face-off win then saw the puck break free to Lucas Vince, who quickly swivelled to back-hand a second goal for the Bulldogs at 32.31.
With just over 10 minutes remaining, Medley showed neat hands to finish off a swift Bulldogs break which involved Waites and Kime, but Sutton were again quick to respond, this time through Matt Jeffcock at 52.16.
Vince grabbed his second and the Bulldogs’ fourth two minutes later when he beat Bell low to his left after a feed from Harry Harling, but it was Cameron Glasby who had the last word when he broke clear down centre ice and beat Bolwell at 56.56, sealing a deserved win for the visitors.
The Bulldogs are back at The Pound THIS SUNDAY (September 20 ) when they host reigning champions Sutton Sting.
Face-off is 5.30pm, with doors opening at 4.45pm. TICKET DETAILS (pay cash or card on the door): 🔴 Adults: £6 ⚫️ Under 5-16s, students and OAPs: £3; 🟡 Family ticket (2 adults, 2 U-16s): £14; ⚪️ Kids (Under-5): for a QUID!