Junior round-up

Billingham Wolves went down their first defeat of the season following a narrow 4-3 loss at Hull Ice Arena Saturday against Kingston Predators on Saturday. Wolves had won their opening five matches while it was Kingston's first game of the season.

The visitors went ahead on the powerplay in the seventh minute thanks to Ritchie Thornton. Kingston had gone into the lead by the end of the first period, both goals coming in the 18th minutes, just ten seconds apart. David Platt scoring the first at 17.04 and Mike Jones on 17.14.

Predators extended their lead after 29 minutes but Wolves dug deep and were soon back on level terms when Dale Turner cut the deficit with the Teessiders' second goal at 31.35 on the powerplay and the league's top marksman Stephen Wallace made it 3-3 at 34.53.

Kingston had the slight upper hand in the final session and they regained their advantage with a powerplay goal from Nathan Hunt at 50.55 as Gareth Crinnion sat out a minor cross checking penalty.

Wolves called a time out at 58.35 but this unfortunately did not gain them the goal they required to earn a share of the spoils.

Wolves scorers: S Wallace 1+2, R Thornton 1+1, D Taylor 1+0, P Pritchard 0+2.

Billingham Falcons, playing their first home match in English Pee-Wee U-14 North A league this season, earned two very valuable points. Visitors to Billingham Forum Ice Arena were Kingston Aero who along with Falcons are one of the favourites to win the title. It took Falcons four minutes to go ahead through Matthew Finn.

Aeros drew level seven minutes later but the period ended with Falcons ahead once again after Anthony Price lifted the puck over the netminder at 18.37.

A well-worked move was completed by James Udell who extended the advantage to 3-1 at 25.26 who extended the advantage to 3-1 at 25.26 on the powerplay. Aero never gave up and were back in the match with a goal three minutes later.

With time running out Aeros pulled their netminder for an extra forward but they got caught out as an attack broke down and Udell fired home into an empty net with 31 seconds remaining for a 4-2 victory.

Falcons scorers: J Udell 2+0, M Finn and A Price 1+0, S Pritchard 0+2, M Farn 0+1.

Billingham Wildcats didn't have too much difficulty in picking up another two points in the women' s Division One North at the weekend. The opponents at Forum Ice Arena were near neighbours Whitley Bay Squaws. Whitley held out until 14.07 when Vicki Wallace opened the scoring. Zoe Bayne, Vanessa Hill and Kirsty Amos had given Wildcats a 4-0 lead by 16.03.

It was no better for Whitley in the second session as Wildcats went 9-0 ahead. Jolene Culley, Bayne (2), Hill and Amos adding to the tally. The only goal of the final session came from Hull as she, like Bayne, completed a hat-trick. Netminder Jenny Smith faced 13 shots for her shut out.

Wildcats scorers: V Hill 3+1, Z Bayne 3+0, K Amos 2+0, V Wallace and J Culley 1+1, J Hall 0+2.

Sunderland Apaches drew 3-3 at Altrincham Colts in English U-10 North League. Grant Sharp put Apaches ahead at 02.36 on the powerplay and he doubled the advantage seven minutes later.

Altrincham began their reply at 19.42 and goals at 22.39 and 24.32 gave Colts a 3-2 lead. It was looking as if Altrincham were going to edge a victory but it was Sharp who struck to complete his hat-trick. The goal came with 57 seconds left and on a valuable powerplay which they made count. Ross Hankin was Apaches' Man of the Match.

Apache scorers: G Sharp 3+0, M Elder and J Lalande 0+1.