Billingham Bears are still top of the English Under-16 North A League following a 7-1 home win over Bradford Pirates at the Forum Ice Arena.

Michael Farn put Bears ahead at 01.08 and added another a minute later. Paul Smith tucked away a third in the eighth minute before Pirates struck their consolation goal at 09.28.

Smith's second seven seconds later and another four minutes later was Smith's straight hat-trick marker. This was with Bears short-handed to give Billingham a 5-1 first period lead.

Robert Dowd added a sixth a minute into the middle period and Smith struck his fourth of the game on the powerplay. This was the end of the scoring as Bears failed to add to their tally after the 24th minute.

Bears: Paul Smith 4+0, Michael Farn 2+1, Robert Dowd 1+2, Matthew Bence, Michael McKenna 0+1.

Billingham Wildcats hosted women's division one league leaders Telford Wrekin Raiders at the Forum Ice Arena. Wildcats only previous game this season was a narrow 2-3 loss at Telford a month ago which was their first match in two years.

Telford had only conceded two goals from five matches and went behind at 20.16 when Vanessa Hill opened Wildcats' account. Raiders went 2-1 up two minutes later before Rachel McCabe levelled the match with a powerplay strike at 23.55.

The visitors restored their lead in the last minute of the period and two goals in four minutes gave Telford a 5-2 advantage in the 49th minute.

Wildcats kept plugging away and could only reduce the deficit by one with a Sarah Clare effort in the 59th minute.

Wildcats: Vanessa Hill, Rachel McCabe, Sarah Clare 1+0, Lindsay Amos, Jenny Carter 0+1.

Billingham Pumas going well in the English U12 North B League had another victory when defeating visiting Bradford Ice Knights at the Forum Ice Arena. Bradford went ahead after four minutes and two goals in eight seconds from Robert Heale and Stephen Simcox in the tenth minute put Pumas on the road to victory.

James Moss tucked away a third before the end of the first period. Billingham increased their advantage with five goals in the middle period as Josh Goodrick, Jack Chapman, Simcox, Moss and Daniel Spedding found the target for an 8-3 lead.

The final period was shared with Moss scoring both Pumas' goals.

Pumas: James Moss 4+1, Stephen Simcox 2+1, Robert Heale 1+2, Josh Goodrick 1+1, Jack Chapman, Daniel Spedding 1+0, Cameron Miller, Ben Davison, Callum Clark, Sam Tullett 0+1.

Whitley Tomahawks were involved in a very keenly fought contest in their English U16 North A contest against Kingston Crunch at Hillheads.

Kingston were on target twice in the fifth minute to go 2-0 ahead and Jamie Tinsley found the net to cut Kingston's led at 08.45 with his side short-handed.

Martin Crammond drove the puck home at 21.35 to tie the scores at 2-2. A minute later Crunch changed their netminder as Whitley were gaining the upper hand.

Kingston defended stoutly and on the powerplay scored what was to be the winning goal at 38.46. Whitley tried in vain to snatch a goal for a share of the spoils which their performance deserved but to no avail.

Tomahawks: Jamie Tinsley, Martin Crammond 1+0, Nathan Taylor 0+1.

Whitley Braves slipped to a 5-1 defeat at Sheffield Steelhawks in the English U19 North A League. Mid-table Sheffield went ahead after seven minutes and added a further two in the 14th minute. A fourth followed in the 34th minute which was the only goal of the second period.

Braves' consolation goal came on the 54th minute mark from Ryan Sample on the powerplay and 53 seconds later Braves' Rob Cairns and Steelhawks' Steve Duncombe both received five plus game misconduct penalties for roughing. The scoring was wrapped up at 56.39 with Sheffield's fifth of the game.

Braves: Ryan Sample 1+0, David Barrett 0+1.

England U14 squad played a Whitley Bay Select side at Hillheads in a challenge match. Whitley included players at U14, U16 and U19 levels as well as icing four netminders. The England squad included Whitley's Callum Watson and Jamie Tinsley plus Sunderland's Danny Lamb.

England were 5-0 victors and did not score until 21.21 which was the only goal of the middle period. Nick kept a clean sheet in the first period and Liam McAllister conceded only one in the second. Daniel Smith and Matthew Fisher shared the final each conceding two goals. Jamie Tinsley scored England's fifth goal which was assisted by Callum Watson.

Whitley Arrows travelled to Hull Ice Arena for an English U12 North A League match against Kingston Rivermen. Arrows, without a point, went behind in the second minute and drew level at 07.25 through a Jonny Zajacs goal.

In under 30 seconds Kingston restored their lead and were 4-1 ahead at the first interval. Rivermen scored twice more in the second and four without reply in the final period for a 10-1 victory.

Arrows: Jonny Zajacs 1+0.

Billingham Falcons faced 51 shots against Kingston Aeros in Hull in an English U14 North A League and suffered a 9-0 defeat. Chris Snaith and Jayce Nunn shared Falcons' netminding duties. Aeros led 5-0 after two periods when Nunn replaced Snaith for the third period.

Kingston's Sam Cooper and Matthew Davies received game misconducts for slashing and attempted spearing respectively.

English National Hockey League North

Billingham Bombers were in action twice at the weekend and both away from home. Stephen V Johnson, Brian Perry and Ian Richardson already pulled out and captain Paul Windridge failed late fitness tests and he joined the unavailability rosta.

At Blackburn, Bombers opened the scoring on 39 seconds through Martin Lewis. Hawks hit back to lead 2-1 after four minutes and 4-1 at 14.-4. Andy Thornton and Stephen Pritchard struck either side of the first interval to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Bombers lost their way in the final period and conceded four goals in a seven minutes spell as Blackburn won 9-3.

Robert Dowd, Michael Farn and Anthony Price were added to the squad that travelled to meet Whitley Warriors at Hillheads. Warriors went into the game without Andrew Carter, Andrew Tindale, Paul Watson and Steven Winn, all suspended by coach Peter Winn for a week for failing to turn up for training.

Paul Graham put Warriors ahead at 02.37 which they held until 17.30 when Martin Lewis scored on the powerplay. Stephen Pritchard gave Bombers the lead two minutes into the second and Andy Thornton doubled the lead five minutes from the end of the period. Simon Hehir and David Thomas added to the total in the final period as Bombers ran out 5-1 victors.

Bombers (v Blackburn): Martin Lewis, Stephen Pritchard 1+1, Andy Thornton 1+0, Stuart Gibbon, James Udell, Simon Hehir 0+1.

(v Whitley): Lewis 1+2, Pritchard, Thornton, David Thomas, Hehir 1+1, Lee Fletcher, Philip Pritchard 0+1.

Warriors: Paul Graham 1+0.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Challenge Match: Manchester Phoenix v Newcastle KBS Vipers (at Deeside Leisure Centre 5pm).

English U16 North A League: Billingham Bears v Whitley Tomahawks (6.30pm).

English U14 North A League: Billingham Falcons v Whitley Mohawks (4.30pm).

English U12 North A League: Kingston Rivermen v Sunderland Cherokee (12.30pm).

English U10 North League: Sheffield Samurai v Whitley Bay Mischiefs (2pm).

Sunday: Findus British National League: Bracknell Bees v Newcastle KBS Vipers (6pm)

English U19 North A League: Kingston Predators v Sunderland Tomahawks (4.45pm)

English National Hockey League North: Nottingham Lions v Whitley Warriors (7.15pm).

English U14 North A League: Whitley Mohawks v Nottingham Tigers (12.30pm)

Women's Division One North: Billingham Wildcats v Sheffield Shadow (6pm); Whitley Bay Squaws v Nottingham Vipers (4.30pm).