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Top Bins and Tough Battles: Boars Charge Into Division 1!
They came, they fought, they finished! The Boars bring the heat (and the Hunter screamer) to the top division.
Boars Battle Hard in YYHL Division 1!
The U10 A Bradford Boars stepped up to the big leagues for Round 2 of the 2025/26 YYHL season, fighting for glory in Division 1 after their promotion! It was a day of non-stop action, showcasing brilliant defence, spectacular goals, and some true grit against Yorkshires top-tier teams at Wakefield.
Game 1: Bradford vs. Slazenger (The Perfect Start!)
The Boars stormed out of the gates, immediately putting Slazenger under pressure! Austen sliced into the D with some silky, mesmerizing dribbling, setting the tone. The defence, marshalled by the fantastic teamwork of the Metcalfe brothers, was impenetrable.
The pressure paid off at the five-minute mark when a superb cross found Hunter, who absolutely smashed it top bins for a stunning opener! Slazenger fought back, unleashing a screamer across the D, but Elsie was perfectly positioned for a crucial deflection, allowing the Boars to counter.
The real excitement was saved for the final minute! A quick break saw Seb fire the ball down the left to Callum, pushing Slazenger deep. The ball then zipped across the D from Austen to Charlie, who executed a brilliant sweep finish!
Result: A fantastic 2-0 victory for the Boars!
Game 2: Bradford vs. York (A Tight Thriller!)
York came out firing, putting the Boars' defence immediately under the cosh, but our side held firm, with a flurry of early attempts on goal falling short. The Boars absorbed the pressure and countered brilliantly, with Brendon and Charlie combining well.
A moment of brilliance from Austen saw a full-length sprint down the right wing, earning a free hit. The resulting cross-D ball was picked up by Charlie for another chance and finished just shy of the goal! At the back, Sam and Seb were solid as a rock, with Sam even clearing a scary York attempt right off the goal line!
York finally broke the deadlock at 11 minutes with an impressive solo run that left our valiant keeper, Elsie, with no chance. The Boars searched hard for the equalizer, with a superb passing move between Charlie, Austen, and Hunter just missing a spectacular finish by a whisker, with the ball just catching the back of his stick!
Result: A narrow 0-1 defeat, but a brave performance!
Game 3: Bradford vs. Harrogate (A Hard-Fought Battle! )
Facing a team that beat them closely last time, the Boars knew this would be tough, and Harrogate started strong. Elsie and the defence put in a heroic effort, but Harrogate’s attack was relentless. Elsie made a great save from a strong, high shot, but the rebound unfortunately fell straight to an attacker. Tough luck!
The next couple of minutes were difficult, with two quick goals putting Harrogate 3-0 up. However, the Boars showed their composure and fought back into the game, Callum's energy second to none! A couple of great runs down the right from Austen opened up opportunities for Charlie and the attack, but the Harrogate defence were quick to close it down.
Despite an incredible 1-v-1 save by Elsie to deny a fifth goal, the pressure remained intense. In the dying seconds, a lovely play saw a pass from Charlie to Austen, who showed off some super 3D skills before unleashing a powerful shot that earned the Boars a free hit just outside the D. Unfortunately the Boars were unable to capitalise as the final whistle blew!
Result: 0-4 against a strong opponent, but the Boars never stopped fighting!
Game 4: Bradford vs. Sheffield (Grit and Great Plays!)
The final game saw a strong start from Bradford before the match settled into a tough yo-yo battle. Charlie had the first shot on goal for the Boars, and lovely one-twos between Austen and Charlie kept the attacks coming. Alana and Brendan added great strength on the wings, while Sam and Seb continued their solid work at the back.
Elsie was once again called into action for a confident 1-v-1 shut down, but alas, the rebound was quickly picked up, putting Sheffield 1-0 up. A brilliant goal-line rescue dive by Hunter couldn't stop the second. In the final minute, Austen won the ball and crossed to Charlie, who put the ball just wide, agonizingly close to a late consolation!
Result: 0-2, ending a tough but rewarding day in Division 1!
Star of the Show!
Every Boar showed fantastic effort and commitment to step up to Division 1 hockey. The team can be incredibly proud of their 2-0 win and the courage shown in every match!