Bradford Hockey Club's Under-12 Boys' A team have gained promotion back to their respective First Division of the Yorkshire Junior League.

In the latest round of matches at Siddal, Adel were beaten 4-1 in the first match, with goals coming from George Gill (2), Harry Sherlock and Dan Leach.

Things continued to go well when Bradford went 3-0 up against Kirk-lees in their next encounter with short-corner strikes from Mathew Stubley and Sherlock and a third goal from Gill.

However, Kirklees then scored twice themselves, leading to a nervy few minutes, with goalkeeper James Celaire making a crucial save. A fantastic goal worked down the right by Gill and Leach took the score to 4-2, and Sherlock then sealed the match from another short corner.

Driffield, one of the better teams in the division, were next up and Lizzie Gibbons made some vital defensive stops in the opening minutes. Left back Ben Dickerson then fed Mathew Stubley, who ran down the wing and passed inside to Gill.

A clever shot inside the near post gave Bradford the lead and another short corner enabled Leach to score.

Bradford dominated the remainder of a tight game, finishing 3-0 winners after Leach got his second.

In the final game, with promotion already assured, Bradford were a shade casual in drawing 1-1 with Rotherham, Gill opening the scoring midway through the game.

Bradford's juniors, who start their top-flight campaign next month, train on Tuesdays at The Girls' Grammar School, Bradford, and on Wednesdays at Thornton Grammar School (both 7pm to 8pm) and new recruits will be made welcome.

Bradford's Hockey Club's under-16 boys' team faced an equally tough weekend fixture list against three of the top teams in the Yorkshire League, some with representative players and one team with an international. A young team, many being under-14 players who have moved up a level, faced an experienced Rotherham in their first game and the difference in age and quality told almost immediately.

On the defensive for most of the game, Bradford lost 7-0 but a new formation after the Christmas break may not have helped.

However, the opposition moved the ball well and took their chances, Connie Bateson making some good saves to keep the score down.

In game two, Bradford faced Driff-ield, who have an under-16 England player in their ranks. A much better showing ensued, with a more confident Bradford, reverting to a familiar system, mounting several good attacks before Driffield opened the scoring with a fine one-two in the D.

Driffield got a second from a short corner, but this was followed by a fine goal for Bradford from Jack Yeadon.

Picking up the ball on halfway, he went past three Driffield players before hitting a low shot across the keeper into the bottom left of the goal. Several more attacks from Bradford were repelled by Driffield before they added a third goal to make the final score 3-1.

Next up were Gateshead, probably the best team in the league, but a determined Bradford made them work very hard.

Bradford's Nick Wright and Adam Ashton made surging runs, one resulting in a good save, before Gateshead finally mounted an attack.

Unfortunately it resulted in a goal, but they could not make any of their opportunities count until near the end when a mistake allowed an attacker through one-on-one with Bateson. Bradford's best performance of the day should give them heart for the rest of the season.

The under-12 girls played five games over a weekend in Division Three, winning two, drawing one and losing two. Goals came from Sophie Berry and a hat-trick from Tai Lister.