Below-par Braves are bitten by the Bulldogs
WHITLEY Braves played well below par in losing their English Under-18 North Division Two clash at Bradford Bulldogs 7-4.
Going into the game Braves lay in third place, two points and one place better off than their opponents.
Bradford went ahead at 02.32 through Kacper Andrukianec and two further goals from Logan Roberts and Alex Mitchell put them 3-0 ahead inside the first seven minutes.
The Braves recovered a little by the end of the first period.
Thomas Fraser scored at 09.25 and five minutes later - with the Braves short-handed - he assisted on Adam Harrison’s second goal of the season.
The home side was soon 6-2 ahead three minutes into the middle period as Harry Clegg, Daniel Justovics and Logan JeanJacques struck.
Ethan McLaughlin pulled a goal back at 29.22 on a five-minute powerplay, Fraser and Jack Wilkinson picking up assists.
Four minutes later the Bulldogs went 7-3 ahead when Alex Lutwyche notched.
The only goal of the final period came from the Braves - Fraser netting his 32nd second goal of the season with six minutes left.
Goalminder Wilkinson was the Braves’ man of the match.
■■WHITLEY Tomahawks lost 9-3 to Manchester Storm at Altrincham in an English Under-15 North League Division Two encounter.
Matthew Betham registered a hat-trick for the Tomahawks, taking his tally to 14 for the season.
■■WHITLEY Mohawks went down 6-3 to Sutton Sting in English Under-13 League Division Two.
Connor Beattie and Harvey Starkie (2) found the net for the the North Tynesiders - Starkie’s strikes taking him up to 19 for the campaign.