BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ hopes of returning to winning ways on home ice took a knock when they suffered at the hands of NIHL North Two rivals Sutton Sting, going down 5-2.

Having been hammered 8-1 at Bradford Ice Arena the week before by Hull Jets, Bulldogs’ head coach Andy Brown will have been looking for a suitable response.

And, with less than three minutes of the game remaining he will have been pleased his team were still in a one-goal game, albeit trailing 3-2.

But a second power play goal for the Sting - from Morgan Glasby at 57.28 - gave the visitors the breathing space they were looking for before Elliott Meadows added an empty netter with 27 seconds remaining.

"It was a tough one to take to be honest," said Brown. "We struggled in the first period and deserved to go in behind but we rallied in the second and deservedly got ourselves back in the game and probably should have gone in at least level.

“On the balance of play, though, they probably just about deserved it but, again, there were some positives to take away.”

Although they had struggled during the first period, the Bulldogs were kept in the game by another strong performance from Ryan Wardell in net, the 17-year-old recovering after being beaten for the first time with just 81 seconds on the clock by Matt Jeffcock.

The hosts huffed and puffed but struggled to create many clear-cut chances and paid the price when they went in at the first break 2-0 behind, Wardell beaten by Bailey Templar at 18.41.

The second period was much better from the Bulldogs, however, and they deservedly got themselves back in the game at 25.54 on the power play.

Good work down low by Kieran Clarkson got the puck to Jack Wooding who was denied twice from the bottom of the right circle by Lewis King before Rhys Edwards stabbed home the second rebound from close range.

The Bulldogs enjoyed the greater zone time throughout the middle period - out-shooting the Sting 17-10 - but couldn’t find a way through King a second time.

Their failure to do so proved crucial as the third period saw the Sting get back on top, with Kacper Andrukianiec in the box on a slashing call, Jeffcock made it 3-1.

Josh Stockton pulled one back, and try as they might, though, no third goal came for the hosts, the visitors making the most of their chances in the closing minutes to run out 5-2 winners.