Match report: Bradford Bulldogs v Sutton Sting
GREAT LEVELLER: The Bulldogs celebrate Josh Stockton’s first period equaliser in the 4-1 defeat to Sutton Sting on Sunday at The Pound. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography
BRADFORD BULLDOGS may have finished their pre-season schedule off with a defeat - but they are able to take plenty of positives into the start of their 2026-27 NIHL North Two campaign next weekend.
The Bulldogs get their season proper underway when they welcome Kingston Sharks to Bradford Ice Arena on Sunday, September 6 (5.30pm).
They warmed up for that opening encounter with three pre-season games - all at The Pound - the last of which saw them play host to reigning regular season league champions Sutton Sting on Sunday.
The Bulldogs had gone into the game on the back of hard-fought wins against Deeside Dragons 2 and Widnes Wild 2.
And despite going down 4-1, they came off the ice having produced another impressive performance against a team many expect to be challenging for honours again this season.
Having missed out on the play-offs last time out, the Bulldogs are hoping for better times in 26-27 themselves with a place in the post-season the minimum target.
In a contest which saw the Bulldogs give as good as they got - Sutton edged the shots on goal 45-40 overall - it was the visitors who broke the deadlock through Lawson Glasby at 7.13.
But the hosts were level going into the first break after Josh Stockton struck at 14.25 off a feed from Declan Kime, making a welcome return from the injury suffered against Deeside a week earlier.
UNDER PRESSURE: Bulldogs goalie Sam Bolwell smothers the puck as Sutton look for a way through on Sunday. Picture: Jason Devanney/View From Up Here Photography.
It was the second period which effectively decided the game, though, with Sutton scoring three unanswered goals to establish a stranglehold on the game.
Josh Fall put the visitors ahead for the first time on the night at 25.01 before Howie marked his return to The Pound by getting one over on his former team-mates when he made it 3-1 at 32.52 on the power play.
Matt Barton added a fourth just over two minutes later to leave the Bulldogs with a mountain to climb coming out for the third.
Despite outshooting the Sting 17-10 in the third, they couldn’t find a way through Nathaniel Bell again to reduce the deficit.
With two wins from three, though, it has still proved to be a promising pre-season for the Bulldogs as they begin preparations for next week’s visit from Kingston (doors, 4.45pm, face-off 5.30pm).