Junior round-up

Sunderland Tomahawks join Altrincham Tigers and Whitley Braves all on four points at the foot of the English U19 North A League. This was after a 5-4 victory at Altrincham on Sunday. Tomahawks went ahead in the fifth minute through Michael Allinson and he doubled the lead at 26.57.

Altrincham struck twice in two minutes to level the scores at the game's halfway stage. Allinson hit his hat-trick marker on the powerplay to restore the lead at 34.06.

Jonathan Heslop increased Sunderland's lead four minutes into the final period only for Altrincham to reply a minutes later when short-handed. Richard Dunn restored Tomahawks' two-goal advantage at 48.12. Altrincham kept plugging away and cut the deficit with seven minutes remaining.

Debutant netminder Richard Lawson made some fine saves to give Tomahawks a second successive victory.

Tomahawks: Michael Allinson 3+0, Richard Dunn 1+3, Jonathan Heslop 1+2, Jamie Smithson, Dean Hamilton 0+1.

Billingham Wolves picked up three points from two games in their quest for a U19 play-off place. On Saturday Wolves visited lowly Blackburn Thunderhawks and found themselves 0-3 at the first interval. Stuart Gibbon began Wolves' recovery at 23.27 and a brace from Liam Telfer tied the match up at 3-3 by the end of the second period.

Scott Ward sent Wolves ahead for the first time in the match with ten minutes remaining. A victory was looking a formality until the final minute when Thunderhawks struck an equaliser on the powerplay.

Rivals for a second place are Kingston Predators and a Wolves win victory over them would halt their realistic chance.

Wolves went ahead through Telfer at 12.56 only for Kingston to equalise three minutes later. It was a one-sided opening period, Wolves outshooting Predators 21-2. Five goals in four minutes for Billingham from Andrew Thornton, David Thomas, James Udell, Ward and Ricky Box gave them a 6-1 lead at 32.26.

Kingston did find the net four minutes later, but the result was never in any real doubt. Telfer, Robert Dowd, Thomas and Udell completed the scoring in the final period.

Wolves (v Blackburn): Liam Telfer 2+0, Scott Ward 1+1, Stuart Gibbon 1+0, James McCabe, Jamie Pattison, David Thomas 0+1.

v Kingston: Thomas 2+1, James Udell 2+0, Ward 1+3, Telfer 1+1, Robert Dowd, McCabe, Ricky Box, Andrew Thornton 1+0, Gibbon, Paul Smith 0+1.

Sunderland Commanches were always going to be in with a tough task of getting anything from their English U14 North A League match at Sheffield Stormers. Stormers have a 100 per cent record and odds on to win the A League title.

Sheffield led 2-0 when Daniel Murdy netted Commanches consolation goal at 10.24. A minute later the two-goal lead was restored. Stormers added three in the middle and four in the final period to see them to a 10-1 win.

Commanches: Daniel Murdy 1+0, Aden Parker 0+1.

In the same league Whitley Mohawks played host to Kingston Aeros at Hillheads and were very unlucky to lose 4-5 in a thrilling encounter.

Mohawks: Jamie Tinsley 2+0, Mark Nicholson 1+2, Callum Watson 1+0, Kurt Waller, Nathan Taylor, Ben Moore 0+1.

Billingham Bears remain in second place in the English U16 North A League after a 7-1 win over visiting Bradford Pirates at the Forum ice arena. It was in the sixth minute that Steven Pritchard put Bears ahead and Ricky Box and Anthony Price increased the lead to 3-0 at the first interval.

James Udell netted a four when Bears short-handed and Bradford's consolation goal came at 23.03. Box grabbed his second before the end of the second period. Udell and Paul Smith completed the scoring with final period goals.

Bears: James Udell 2+3, Ricky Box 2+1, Steven Pritchard, Anthony Price, Paul Smith 1+1, David Thompson 0+1.

Billingham Falcons are still searching for their first points in the English U14 North A League after a 10-1 defeat at Blackburn Kestrels. Kestrels went ahead in the fourth minute and were 4-0 to the good at the interval.

Blackburn increased their advantage to 9-0 by the time Scott Harrison was on hand to record Falcons' consolation market at 31.47. Three minutes later Kestrels reached double figures to complete the victory.

Falcons: Scott Harrison 1+0.

Sunderland Apaches travelled to Altrincham Colts for an U10 challenge. An end to end encounter saw Apaches narrowly lose 8-7. Apaches: Alex Lawson 3+3, Jack Watkins 3+0, Shaun Bamling 1+0, Lee Gill 0+2, Michael Elder 0+3.

Whitley Bay Squaws lost 0-3 at Flintshire Furies in the women's division one North.

English National Hockey League North

Sunderland Chiefs and Grimsby Buffaloes were in a 21-goal thriller at Grimsby. Chiefs, third from bottom and Grimsby, one place below from them, were never ahead in the match.

Chiefs: Richard Danskin 3+1, Adam Hendry 2+0, Shaun Black 1+4, Jonathan Heslop, Gary Ludlow 1+1, Stuart Weaner, Richard Horkan 1+0, Paul Rolfe 0+1.

Whitley Warriors play-off hopes are still going strong and a top four finish remain after a 14-0 win over Flintshire Freeze at Hillheads. Lee Baxter started the scoring after 24 seconds and by the first period Whitley led 7-0.

Paul Graham and Andrew Tindale both struck hat-tricks as Warriors were well in control. Netminder Anthony Markham faced 25 shots for his shut-out.

Warriors: Andrew Tindale 3+3, Paul Graham 3+2, Lee Baxter 2+1, Paul Matthews, Bobby Bradley 1+3, Kevin Bucas 1+2, Andrew Carter, Bryan Dunn, Robert Cairns 1+0,. Dale Howey, Ian Emmerson, Garry Dowd 0+1.

Tomorrow's fixtures

Newcastle KBS Vipers v Cardiff Devils (6.30pm).

English National Hockey League North: *Sunderland Chiefs v Billingham Bombers (noon)

English U16 North A League: Nottingham Cougars v Whitley Tomahawks (6pm)

English U10 North/Midlands League: *Sunderland Apaches v Nottingham Pumas (2.45pm)

English U14 North A League: Billingham Falcons v Blackburn Kestrels (6pm)

*Sunderland home games played at Newcastle Telewest Arena.

Sunday's fixtures

Findus British National League: Coventry Blaze v Newcastle KBS Vipers (6pm)

English National Hockey League North: Billingham Bombers v Blackburn Hawks (6pm); Flintshire Freeze v Sunderland Chiefs (6.30pm); Whitley Warriors v Grimsby Buffaloes (6.30pm)

English U16 North A League: Kingston Crunch v Billingham Bears (12.15pm)

English U12 North A League: Whitley Arrows v Sheffield Lasers (12.15pm)

U10 Challenge: Blackburn Merlins v Whitley Bay Mischiefs (4.45pm).