Sunderland Scorpions returned to the top of the women's premier league after defeating Bracknell Queen Bees 4-2 at the Telewest Arena. Bracknell's recent form of late had seen them move into the top five which is separated by only two points.

Scorpions and Cardiff Comets look to be where the league winners may come from, but there are several matches still to play. The opening session was close but failed to bring a goal and the middle period was heading the same way until the deadlock was broken in the final minute.

Short-handed with 23 seconds remaining of the period Teresa Lewis put Scorpions ahead. A lead which Sunderland deserved for their dominance. With eight minutes to go Scorpions led 3-0 as Lynsey Emmerson and Heather McDermott had struck three minutes apart.

Bracknell cut the deficit to one with goals at 53.13 and 56.17, the latter when short-handed. In search for an equaliser Bracknell pulled their netminder in the final minute and as Scorpions had a player in the penalty box for the last 47 seconds.

It was a two player advantage for the visitors. However, it backfired as with 19 seconds remaining Emmerson struck into an empty net for a 4-2 away win.

Scorpions: Lunsey Emmerson 2+0, Heather McDermott, Teresa Lewis 1+0.

Sunderland Arrows are still on course for a return to English U16 North B League after an 8-1 victory over Grimsby Dynamos in a North B League.

Arrows: Daniel Murdy 3+1, Richard Westgarth 2+0, Jeremy Lundin, Daniel Lathan, Dean Holland 0+1, Jamie Smithson, John Wilson 0+2, Adam Kelly, Shane Hewitt 0+1.

Sunderland Tomahawks winning run came to a head with a 10-2 defeat in the English U19 North A League at Nottingham Leopards. Tomahawks: Michael Allinson 1+1,m Richard Westgarth 1+0, Jeremy Lundin 0+1.

Sunderland Cherokees completed their English U12 North A League season with a 3-2 win at Kingston Rivermen and therefore cannot finish any lower than fourth.

Cherokees: Grant Sharp 2+1, Nathan Salem 1+0.

Whitley Bay Mischiefs entertained Altrincham Colts in an U10 challenge at Hillheads. The club do not have sufficient players to play league matches, but arrange friendlies as do Altrincham. The visitors who have a little more experience than Whitley, led 9-0 at the interval and Andrew Terrance scored Whitley's first goal 11 seconds into the restart.

Kate Ord and Josh Maddock added Mischiefs' other goals in the final period as Colts netted seven further goals for a 15-3 victory.

Mischiefs: Andrew Terrance, Kate Ord, Josh Maddock 1+0, Paris Lloyd, Andrew Cook 0+1.

English National Hockey League North

Billingham Bombers' slim hopes of qualifying for the play-offs went with an 8-4 defeat by Altrincham Aces at the Forum ice arena. Bombers went a goal behind in the first minute and led 3-1 at Stephen V Johnson, Ian Richardson and Paul Windridge scored for Bombs.

Second in the table Aces recovered to 5-3 before Iain Buchanan cut the deficit at 27.10. That was the last Billingham goal as Aces added a further three to stay in second place.

Flintshire Freeze were on Teesside the next night and Bombers were back on the winning trail with a 6-2 victory.

Powerplay goals from Scott Ward and Lewis in the final eight minutes gave Billingham a 6-2 win.

Bombers (v Altrincham): Paul Windridge 1+2, Iain Buchanan, Jan Richardson, Stephen V Johnson 1+1.

(v Flintshire): Martin Lewis 2+2, Johnson and Scott Ward 1+1, Buchanan, Andrew Thornton 1+0, Windridge 0+4, Richardson and Stuart Gibbon 0+1.

Whitley Warriors are into the play-offs and almost scuppered Blackburn Hawks' aspirations of play-offs with a 13-6 league win at Hillheads. Hawks led 2-0 at 07.14 only for Paul Matthews and Garry Dowd to equalise by the first interval.

Blackburn struck twice on the powerplay to go 4-2 ahead on 22.15. Paul Graham bagged a brace for Whitley and sandwiched in between was a Hawks fifth. Lee Baxter hit a hat-trick as Whitley scored eight unanswered as they went 12-5 ahead at 52.35. Blackburn recorded their sixth before Baxter's fifth of the game rounded off the scoring.

The previous night Warriors were at Blackburn for an English National Premier League Cup North encounter. A close match which Hawks edged 7-6. Warriors trailed 0-4 at 21.06 and Kevin Bucas and Ian Emerson cut the gap inside five minutes.

Andrew Tindale and Bryan Dunn scored in the final minute of the second period and D J Good at 44.10 brought the match level at 5-5. Five minutes later the score was 6-6 when Paul Graham equalised. With two seconds left Hawks struck a winner on the powerplay.

Warriors (v Blackburn home league): Lee Baxter 5+1. Paul Graham, Andrew Tindale 2+2, Paul Matthews 1+3, D J Good, Stephen Winn 1+2, Garry Dowd 1+0, Kevin Bucas, Bryan Dunn 0+3, Anthony Markham, Bobby Bradley 0+1.

(v Blackburn away Cup): Graham, Tindale 1+2, Bucas 1+1, Good, Dunn and Ian Emerson 1+0.

* Billingham's Andrew Thornton and Whitley Bay's Daniel Good are in a Great Britain U18 squad that go to France for a tournament between February 17-23.

Jamie Pattison and STephen Pritchard (Billingham), Michael Allinson (Sunderland) and Robert Wilson (Whitley Bay) played for England U17 North against their South counterparts at Hull Ice Arena on Friday night. The South won 1-0. The squads meet again at Milton Keynes on March 7.

Tomorrow's fixtures

Findus British National League: Newcastle KBS Vipers v Edinburgh Capitals (6.30pm).

English National Hockey League North: Bradford Bulldogs v Whitley Warriors (5.15pm)

*Sunderland Chiefs v Flintshire Freeze (noon).

English U16 North B League: *Sunderland Arrows v Nottingham Greyhounds (2.30pm).

English U14 North A League: Blackburn Kestrels v Sunderland Commanches (4.45pm)

English U12 North A League: Sheffield Stormers v Whitley Arrows (12.15pm).

English U12 North B League: Solihull Kings v Billingham Pumas (4.30pm)

Sunday's fixtures

Findus British National League: Fife Flyers v Newcastle KBS Vipers (6.30pm)

English National Hockey League North: Billingham Bombers v Sunderland Chiefs (6.30pm)

English U19 North A League: Sheffield Steelhawks v Whitley Braves (5pm)

English U16 North A League: Whitley Tomahawks v Blackburn Eagles (12.15pm)

Women's Division One North: Whitley Bay Squaws v Blackburn Thunder (5.45pm)

U12 Challenge: Dundee v Sunderland Cherokees (at Fife).

*All Sunderland home games at Newcastle Telewest Arena.