Braves are bitten by the Bulldogs
WHITLEY Braves lost 8-5 to visitors Bradford Bulldogs in a feisty English Under-18 North Division One encounter at Hillheads.
The visitors included Alex Mitchell and Logan JeanJacques, who play for Whitley Renegades in the Under-20 League.
The Bulldogs began well and took the lead at 05.23 through Logan Roberts - and three minutes later doubled their lead through Damari James.
The Braves were quick to respond and 32 seconds later Owen Curry struck his first Braves goal of the season, Matthew Betham gaining an assist.
The visitors restored their two goal at 12.20 when Jack Wooding struck.
Despite being shorthanded on a powerplay when Jean-Jacques was sent to the penalty box for an attempted butt-ending penalty, they then took a 4-1 lead through James’ second goal of the game.
The Braves cut the advantage when Jay Lucas marked his debut with a goal on the powerplay with 18 seconds left in the opening period, Yarrow accredited with an assist.
Bradford began the middle period by going 5-2 ahead with Roberts’ second of the game.
Roberts was sitting out a minor clipping penalty when the Braves bagged their third goal, Curry finishing off a move and Lucas and Thomas Fraser also picking up a point apiece at 25.23.
Roberts recorded his hat-trick marker at 33.03 with his side on the powerplay for a 6-3 lead.
The Braves pulled two goals back in the first three and a half minutes of the third period thanks to a brace from Fraser at 42.46 and 43.31, Yarrow adding an assist to his season’s tally.
However, the Bulldogs replied with two quick goals of their own, Roberts converting his fourth of the game and James completing his hat-trick.