ANDY BROWN says Bradford Bulldogs need to be prepared for another tough test on home ice this weekend when they play host to reigning NIHL North Two regular season champions, Telford Tigers 2.

It’s proved a tough start to the 2024-25 campaign for the Bulldogs so far, following up an opening day 7-0 defeat on the road at Billingham with a 7-3 defeat at home to Coventry last Sunday.

Telford have picked up where they left off in 2023-24 when they only lost one regular season game, winning the championship by eight clear points.

They arrive in West Yorkshire on Sunday (5.30pm face-off) having won all three of their games so far, scoring 28 goals.

Bulldogs’ head coach Brown is aware of the tough task facing his team on Sunday, but took heart from his team’s third-period performance against Coventry last time out.

“We knew when the schedule came out that this was going to be a tough start to the season for us, facing three of the teams who finished in the top four last season,” said Brown.

“Against Coventry we didn’t help ourselves at times, conceding too many penalties which led to us conceding three power play goals. We must do better in that regard.

“Telford is going to be another tough examination for us. Not surprisingly, they have started the season very well and I know they are going to be tough to beat in terms of winning the league.

“We need to match their work rate at the very least and be more like we were in the third period against Coventry last week when, while still outshot, we showed a big improvement.”

Against Coventry, the Bulldogs were always chasing the game and found themselves 4-0 down inside 27 minutes, Kyle Nash leading the way with a hat-trick before Sam Prosser got in on the act.

The lead was stretched to 6-0 through efforts from Ryan James and Ashton Rudkin before Bradford finally got in on the act when Lucas VInce forced the puck home from close range on the power play in the 38th minute.

Tom Mardell then cut the deficit further just over six minutes into the third, winning the puck on the edge of the Bulldogs’ zone before sprinting down the right boards and beating Joel Bearman down low to make it 6-2.

Coventry restored their five-goal lead through a second for Rudkin at 50.56 but it was the hosts who had the final say, Mardell picking the puck up in the neutral zone before unleashing a quick shot which again beat Bearman down low.