Junior round-up

Sunderland Arrows gave them a chance of avoiding the English Junior (U-16) North promotion/relegation play-offs with a 3-2 victory over Billingham Bears at the weekend. Arrows are second from bottom and had won only once prior to Saturday. Bears, too, have been struggling and won just twice and are now only one point ahead of Arrows.

The teams met at Hillheads, Whitley Bay and Billingham went ahead in the 11th minute through Stuart Gibbon with the only goal of the first period.

Sunderland had only five shots on goal in the middle period and scored from two of them. Michael Allinson struck an equaliser with only 34 seconds gone in the period and he gave his side the lead 13 minutes later. Allinson extended the lead with his hat-trick marker on the powerplay at 37.32.

Bears cut the deficit through Paul Harland with a little under three minutes remaining, but could not get another as Arrows held out for victory.

Arrows: Michael Allinson 3+0.

Bears: Paul Harland, Stuart Gibbon 1+0, Robert Dowd, Peter Rix 0+1.

Billingham Coyotes faced Whitley Bay Mischiefs twice at the weekend. They put up creditable performances in both matches in only their first season in English U-10 North League.

At the Forum ice arena on Saturday Whitley were ahead in the second minute through Callum Watson. Nathan Salem and Bobby Mole (2) made it 4-0 before Luke Blythe recorded Coyotes' lone reply at 15.15. Salem completed a hat-trick by the break as Whitley led 7-1. Five further goals in the final period took the total to 12-1, including a further brace for Watson to finish as top scorer on 4+1. Mole also finished with a hat-trick.

Coyotes: Luke Blythe 1+0; Jason Weightman 0+1.

Mischiefs: Callum Watson 4+1, Nathan Salem 3+5, Bobby Mole 3+0, Stephanie Towns, Adam Perrie 1+0, Joseph Royle, Craig lydall 0+1.

The teams were at Hillheads the following day and Mischiefs completed the double with a 14-0 win. Alfie Stanley started off the scoring at 3.37. By the interval Mischiefs increased their advantage to 9-0 and five unanswered goals in the final session brought Callum Watson a double hat-trick.

Mischiefs: Watson 6+1, Perrie 2+0, Salem 1+3, Aldfie Stanley, Jack Connon, David Lawrence, Towns ?-0, Royal 0+3.

Billingham Wildcats strengthened their lead at the top of the Women's Division One (North) after a 5-0 win over Blackburn Thunder at the Forum ice arena. Vanessa Hill opened the scoring in the sixth minute and doubled the lead on the powerplay two minutes before the end of the first period.

Hill made it a straight hat-trick with a shorthanded marker on the 23rd minute mark. Kirsty Amos increased the advantage to 4-0 by the end of the second session. The only goal of the final session came on the powerplay at 57.27 from Rachel McCabe. Wildcats' netminders Jenny Smith and Beverley Hutchinson shared a 13-shot shut-out.

Wildcats: Vanessa Hill 3+0, Rachel McCabe 1+1, Kirsty Amos 1+0, Emma Gourlay, Gayle Braddley, Rachel Beck 0+1.

Sunderland Scorpions lost their unbeaten record, but remain top of the Women's Premier League after a 3-0 loss at Bracknell Bees. The Wearsiders trailed 2-0 when netminder Pauline Anderson had to leave the ice due to injury after 44 minutes, Nicky Pattinson taking over. Bracknell added a third seven minutes later