Junior round-up

Sunderland Arrows completed their English U16 North promotion/relegation play-offs with a 0-2 defeat at Hillheads against Bradford Pirates. Arrows finished bottom of the four-team group without a point from six matches and are relegated into North B league for season 2002-03.

Going into the game Bradford had already gained promotion to North A League by finishing second behind Whitley Tomahawks in the play-off group. Jason Moses in Arrows net was certainly the busier of the netminders and made some fine saves to keep Pirates at bay.

The match was looking to ending up a goalless draw until Matthew Bears gave Bradford the lead after Sunderland had called a time out. Bradford made sure of victory with a second goal 46 seconds later.

Bradford finished runners-up to Blackburn Eagles in the North B League during the regular league season. Sunderland take their place and will be one of the favourites to bounce straight back up.

Sunderland Comanches were in the steel city on Saturday to face Sheffield Sabres in a U15 challenge at Queens Road. Sabres finished in mid table in the North B League while Commanches ended up second from bottom in North A, Commanches retaining their North A League place via the play-offs.

Sheffield went ahead at 17.14 and it took Sunderland only nine seconds to get back on level terms. Nathan Salem put Commanches on the scoresheet. This was in a first period which saw Sunderland under much pressure.

Commanches netminder Mark Thorman held off Sabres' attacks. The Wearsiders gave Richard Lawson second period ice time in Commanches goal and Sunderland had the upper hand in the period.

They were rewarded with a goal from James Moutrey after 25 minutes. In the final minutes Commanches' Daniel Murdy received a ten-minute misconduct penalty.

Commanches: Nathan Salem, James Moutrey 1+0, Daniel Murdy 0+1.

At the weekend it was the AGM of the English Ice Hockey Association junior section. It was decided that at both U12 and U14 levels the games could be played over 3x15-minute periods as is U16 level. This can happen if clubs declare prior to the start of the season that they will have enough ice time and every match would be 3x15-minute periods not decided before each home match.

The U19 league also held their AGM at the weekend in Nottingham. The proposal by some south clubs to move from A and B leagues to regional leagues fell down before being put to the vote. It was decided that clubs wanted to retain the present format.

The major change was the bottom club in A League would be relegated automatically and the winner of the B League could be promoted automatically has been changed. It reverts to previous seasons where bottom two from A League and top two from B League will go into promotion/relegation play-offs.

Billingham Eagles, Sunderland Chiefs and Whitley Warriors will all compete in English National Hockey League Northern Conference next season starting in September.

All three are included in a ten-team league.

Billingham, after a disappointing season by their standards will be looking to improve. Sunderland could be in a new home and Whitley Bay trying to repeat this season's grand slam of league, play-off and cup treble.

Since the closure of the Crowtree ice rink due to problems with the rink, Sunderland for the past two seasons have used Newcastle Telewest Arena and Whitley Bay's Hillheads as home.

The Wearside club have applied to turn a warehouse in Pallion, Sunderland, into an ice rink. They expect to hear if their application has been successful shortly.

An ice pad, 56m by 25m, the same size as at Crowtree, would be laid and could be in place by the start of September.

If the club gets to go ahead the facility would be also used for public skating as well as ice skating club and recreational teams.

Newcastle KBS Vipers have been accepted into the Findus British National League for the coming season. The FBNL board of directors approved their application at a meeting on Tuesday, in London.

The FBNL selection committee last week heard presentations from Newcastle, Solihull and Telford. Further details were required from all three applicants by midday Monday. On Sunday Telford informed the committee that they were withdrawing their application.

Unanimously Newcastle and Solihull were accepted into a possible ten-team league. Of last season's 12 teams Peterborough Pirates, Milton Keynes Kings and Slough Jets have pulled out.

Milton Keynes have relocated to Solihull and there is a possibility of Paisley Pirates not coming under starters orders for the new season.

A league format of two home and two away plus a challenge cup competition, as well as play-offs would give Newcastle around 50 matches during the season.

The FBNL will now be working on the fixtures and would hope to have a draft list done by the end of the month