Billingham Wildcats came out narrow 4-3 winners in the women's division one North at the Forum Ice Arena against Nottingham Vipers.

Wildcats twice led before Vipers equalised for 3-3 at 48.44. With four-and-a-half minutes remaining Nicola Borg's second goal of the game proved to be a deserved winner.

Wildcats went ahead with the only goal of the first period through Jenny Carter when short-handed at 18.59. The final period brought plenty of goalmouth action, five goals in seven minutes. Nottingham drew level in the 42nd minute before Claire Ainscough and Borg put Wildcats 3-1 ahead at 44.50. Vipers hit back with goals at 45.54 and 48.44 to peg Billingham back.

Borg's timely strike gave Wildcats a deserved victory.

Wildcats: Vanessa Borg 2+0, Claire Ainscough, Jenny Carter 1+0, Paula Garbutt, Rachel McCabe 0+1.

Billingham Bears remain top of the English U16 North A League after a 13-0 win at pointless Bradford Pirates. Robert Dowd helped Bears off to a good start scoring a hat-trick in a little over two minutes for a 4-0 lead at 06.17. Paul Smith scored the other at 05.42. It was virtually one-way traffic as Adam Smith (2) and Dowd struck for a 7-0 lead after two periods, Adam Smith (2), Anthony Price (2) and Dowd completed the rout with final period goals. James Flavell in Bears net faced only five shots for his shut-out.

Bears: Robert Dowd 5+1, Adam Smith 4+0, Paul Smith 2+4, Anthony Price 2+6.

Sunderland Arrows with home advantage lost twice in the U16 North A League matches. On Saturday Kingston Crunch went back to Hull with a 3-0 victory. Crunch went ahead at 01.22 and scored another in the eighth minutes.

Kingston's third came early in the second period. Arrows played their part and were unlucky not to score. Matthew Turner in the visitors goal was in outstanding form with some fine saves.

The following day Telford Rockets came and returned with an 11-0 victory. Arrows never recovered from conceding four goals in as many minutes by 09.11. Telford added a fifth on the powerplay two seconds from the end of the period.

Telford doubled their tally in the second and eased down in the third scoring only once.

Sunderland Commanches clawed their way back from a 0-2 deficit to earn a point in a 2-2 draw over visiting Kingston Aeros. Kingston led 2-0 after the opening period and did not add in the second despite outshooting Commanches 25-6. Thomas Murdy in the home net kept Aeros at bay. Callum Davies promoted for the Cherokees U12 squad cut the deficit at 36.48. Four minutes later the match was all square when Nathan Salem drove home the equaliser.

Commanches have held second placed Kingston to two draws which dents their title hopes.

Commanches: Callum Davies, Nathan Salem 1+0, Jimmy Moutrey, Callum Pattison, Ross Hanlon 0+1.

Whitley Mohawks picked up two very valuable points in the U14 North A League. Blackburn Kestrels visitors to Hillheads went ahead at 01.36 only to be pegged back four minutes later when Joseph Royal equalised. James Delaney and Andrew Wood were on target to put Mohawks 3-1 ahead after ten minutes.

Kurt Waller was the only scorer of the second period and a brace from Jamie Tinsley in the 32nd and 37th minutes completed a 6-1 victory for Mohawks.

Mohawks: Jamie Tinsley 2+0, Andrew Wood 1+1, Joseph Royal, Kurt Waller, James Delaney 1+0, Christopher Pyle, Thomas Harley, Bobby Mole 0+1.

Billingham Falcons slipped to a 26-0 defeat at Nottingham Tiger-Cubs in the U14 North A League. Falcons conceded seven goals in both first and second periods and a further 12 in the third.

Netminders Jayce Nunn and Chris Snaith shared 81 shots between them. Unfortunately, Falcons could not muster a shot on Tigers' net.

Sunderland Cherokees put up a brave performance at Nottingham Tiger-Cubs in the English U12 North A League. Joint league leaders Nottingham went a goal down with a Jack Watkins goal at 04.32 to give Cherokees the lead.

Sunderland trailed 1-2 at the first interval and were unlucky not to go into the break level. Another brace in both second and third periods gave Tigers a 6-1 victory. Netminder Evie Roberts was Spirit of the Game recipient and Ashleigh Holland Man of the Match award winner.

Cherokees: Jack Watkins 1+0, Callum Davies 0+1.

Sunderland Apaches went to Kirkcaldy for an U10 challenge against Fife Eagles. Fife led 2-0 when Dale Sharp opened Apaches account at 06.46. He completed his hat-trick with a brace in the final period as Fife won 11-3.

Apaches: Dale Sharp 3+0, Lee Gill 0+2, Luke Shanks 0+1.

Whitley Braves were in action twice in the English U19 North A League. They were successful in the first by defeating Sunderland Tomahawks 5-1 at the Telewest Arena. Braves were 1-0 ahead at the end of the first period after Andrew Wile scored at 19.19.

Philip Atherton made it 2-0 three minutes into the second period and David Barrett, a third ten minutes later. Tomahawks' consolation strike came on 38.34 through Jonny Heslop. Ian Emerson and Robert Wilson completed the scoring in the final period.

Sheffield Steelhawks were 3-0 ahead when Simon Day opened Braves' account at 08.56. Emerson hit a second in the 35th minute on the powerplay as Sheffield led 6-2 after two periods. The final period was shared 2-2 as Sheffield won 8-4. Andrew Wood and Wile were on target in the session.

Tomahawks: Jonny Heslop 1+0, Lee Davis, Michael Allinson 0+1.

Braves (v Sunderland): David Barrett 1+2, Ian Emerson, Andrew Wile 1+1, Philip Atherton, Robert Wilson 1+0, Paul Shreeve, Simon Day 0+1.

(v Sheffield): Emerson 1+1, Wile, Day, Andrew Wood 1+0, John Shreeve, Shaun Kippin, Barrett, Jamie Tinsley 0+1.

Whitley Tomahawks were beaten 4-0 at Kingston Crunch in the English U16 North A League.

English National Hockey League North

Sunderland Chiefs, having only played six games to date, play a hectic schedule for January. Two games at the weekend were followed by last night's local derby against Whitley Warriors and tomorrow host Nottingham Lions before making the short trip down the A19 to meet Billingham Bombers on Sunday.

Kingston Jets and Blackburn Hawks defeated under-strength Chiefs last weekend.

Chiefs were minus Paul Shanks, Andrew Carter, Paul McGinnety, Richard Ashton, Mark Lee and Simon McGinnety for both games. David Michie and David Brown returned at Blackburn while captain Richard Danskin was unavailable for the trip to Blackburn.

Jonny Heslop was injured on Saturday and also did not play at Blackburn, Kristian Lloyd also did not play at Blackburn. Added to the squad for Saturday's game with Kingston was junior player Jeremy Lundin and for both games was Sunderland Scorpions' netminder Bev Hutchinson. Scorpions are currently top of the women's premier league with a 100 per cent record.

Hutchinson played the final three minutes and 50 seconds against Kingston and the last 14 minutes and 33 seconds at Blackburn.

Kingston led by a fifth minute powerplay goal until Kristian Lloyd equalised at 21-41. Jets restored their lead in the 34th minute and made certain of victory with a third with five minutes to go.

At Blackburn, Chiefs were outplayed and outshot 45-10 as Hawks won 10-1. David Michie scored a consolation goal at 47.11 with Hawks holding a 9-0 lead.

Chiefs (v Kingston): Kristian Lloyd 1+0, Michael Allinson, Richard Danskin 0+1.

(v Blackburn): David Michie 1+0, David Brown 0+1.

Billingham Bombers suffered a 6-3 defeat at Nottingham Lions, but put up a creditable performance. Martin Lewis opened the scoring for Bombers at 08.25 and Robert Dowd restored the lead 18 seconds after Lions had drawn level.

Nottingham scored three unanswered goals to lead 4-2 after two periods. Bombers were well below par in that period. Lewis cut the deficit in the 50th minute to bring Billingham back into the game. Two minutes later Lions restored the two-goal advantage and wrapped up the victory after 56 minutes.

Bombers: Martin Lewis 2+1, Robert Dowd 1+1, Paul Windridge 0+3.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Findust British National League: Newcastle M and M City News Vipers v Bracknell Bees (6.30pm)

English National Hockey League North: *Sunderland Chiefs v Nottingham Lions (12noon).

English U12 North B League: Billingham Pumas v Grimsby Ghosts (4.30pm)

Women's Division One North: Blackburn Thunder v Billingham Wildcats (6pm); Telford Wrekin Raiders v Whitley Bay Squaws (5.30pm).

Sunday: Findus British National League: Guildford Flames v Newcastle M and M City News Vipers (6pm)

English National Hockey League North: Billingham Bombers v Sunderland Chiefs (6pm); Whitley Warriors v Bradford Bulldogs (6.30pm).

English U14 North A League: *Sunderland Commanches v Telford Venom (noon)

*All Sunderland IHC home games are played at Newcastle Arena.

* Newcastle M and M City News Vipers forward Stephen Wallace this week returned with a gold medal playing for Great Britain U20s squad. Wallace was top goalscorer (12 goals and three assists) as GB participated in the World U20 championships Division Two in Lithuania.

Great Britain defeated hosts Lithuania (7-3), South Africa (14-0), Serbia and Montenegro (7-1), Korea (2-0) and Croatia (8-1) to gain promotion next year.

Assistant coach to the GB squad was Sunderland Chiefs coach Mick Mishner.