Junior ice hockey

The eighth annual junior inter-conference championships were held at Hull Ice Arena over three days at the weekend. North Midlands, Scotland, South East and South West conferences came together at U11, U13 and U15 age groups, play a round-robin format within their own groups. The top two in each group met in the final.

At the end of the tournament National coaches select all star teams at each of the three age groups and also choose players to attend English Ice Hockey Association Summer School of Excellent at U13 and U16 age groups.

Three Sunderland players, netminder Mark Thurman and forwards James Moutrey and Daniel Murdy will attend the U13 school while the Billingham quartet of defenceman Steven Pritchard and forwards Liam Telfer, Robert Dowd and Paul Smith will be at the U16 school.

North U11 did best of the three North conference teams reaching the final against a very strong Midlands squad. Midlands brushing aside North 2-0 in the final. Midlands were North's first opponents in the round robin stage and were 7-1 winners. South East followed as the next opponents and a first North victory by 4-2. Two of the goals came from local players, Whitley Bay's Callum Watson and Sunderland's Grant Sharp. Scotland had a 1-0 lead after the first period only for North to recover to lead 3-1. Scotland clawed their way back to tie 3-3 and North were denied a last second goal.

North's final round robin match was against South West and a draw would guarantee a place in the final. The match ended 3-3 and Sunderland's Callum Davies scored the equaliser. This was after North twice led.

The opponents in the final were Midlands and they brushed aside North 7-0.

North U13 lost 0-1 to Midlands in their opening match which was followed by a 4-3 victory over South East after being out 20-10.

Scotland were a goal down at 03.31 with a strike from Whitley's Nathan Taylor only for them to go 2-1 ahead. North's equaliser in a 2-2 draw came with ten seconds remaining.

U13s final match was against South West and a win would take them to the final. A close game ended 1-1 and Sunderland's Daniel Murdy tied the scores with a late goal.

U15s finished with one win and three losses from their games. in their opening tie with Midlands, North took the lead after just 67 seconds. Midlands recovered for a 4-1 victory.

South East went ahead at 09.55 only to lose 3-1 against U15s, Billingham's Steven Pritchard scorer of North's first goal at 21.38.

Against South West the group leaders in their final round robin tie, North had to win by a large margin. However, South West won 4-0.

On the Sunday evening there was an England U17 v Scotland U17 international which was won by England 5-4. England were 0-1 down after the first period to go 5-1 ahead at 43.38 which included a goal from Whitley Bay's Daniel Good.

Scotland scored three times in five minutes but England held on.

Billingham Wildcats finished their women's premier league campaign with a disappointing 7-1 defeat against Swindon Top Cats at the Forum Ice Arena. Swindon in seventh place, one above Wildcats, were worthy winners. They led 1-0 at the first break and could have been more but for the netminding of Jenny Smith.

Swindon were 2-0 ahead when Bev Hutchinson replaced Smith and she made good saves as Swindon dominated the match,

Wildcats' consolation goal came from Jenny Carter with two minutes remaining.

Wildcats: Jenny Carter 1+0, Vicki Wallace 0+1.

Sunderland Arrows are still bottom of the English U16 North promotion/relegation play-offs after a 4-1 defeat at Hillheads against Blackburn Eagles. It was Arrows' third loss from three outings.

Blackburn went 2-0 ahead inside six minutes which gave them the start they required. Eagles had added their remaining two goals by the time David Holland had struck the consolation goal.

Arrows: David Holland 1+0, Shane Hewitt 0+1.

Whitley Mohawks finished a creditable fourth place when they competed in the U14 Lynn Pollock Cup at Ayr Centrum Arena. Mohawks began with a 3-0 loss to Paisley before beating Kilmarnock 5-1 on the first day.

The semi-final match against French side Bordeaux Boxers was a fine match which some thought best of the tournament. Unfortunately, Mohawks lost 2-0.

Paisley met Mohawks in third/fourth place play-off which went the Scottish side's way 3-0. The Tynesiders picked up two individual awards at the tournament. Andrew Wood received top goal scorers award and Jamie Tinsley picked up most assists award.

Sunderland Apaches were also in tournament action at the Bracknell U10 tournament. Apaches finished third in the six-team event. Their third/fourth place play-off tie went to a penalty shoot out against South West League winners Swindon Cubs.

Tom Ross had scored Apaches' goal in a 1-1 score after normal time. Jack Watkins and Chris Watson scored the penalty shots for a 3-2 victory.

Watkins, Alex Wilson and Matt Izzett were on target for Apaches in the 3-0 win over Telford Turtles in their second match. The first being a 0-0 draw with Midlands League winners Nottingham Pumas.

Watkins and Dale Sharp were on the mark in a 2-2 tie with Swindon hosts and winners of the tournament Bracknell Buzzers defeated Apaches 3-1. James Hamilton the lone marksman.

Bristol Wannabees held Apaches to a 0-0 draw in their final round robin match which was not quite enough to take them into the final against Bracknell. Apaches lost out to Nottingham on goal difference.