Sunderland Commanches (U14) and Cherokees (U12) were in Belfast for challenge matches against Northern Ireland U14 and U12 select squads.

Commanches played the first of two games on Saturday evening and won by the narrow margin of 2-1. Northern Ireland went ahead after only 38 seconds, a lead which they kept hold of until 19.22 when Ross Hanlon equalised. Three minutes later the winning goal came from Matthew Pye.

Commanches' latest signing Aiden Parker scored his first goals for the club when he netted both goals in Sunday morning's 2-0 win over Northern Ireland U14 select.

Commanches (match 1): Matthew Pye 1+1, Ross Hanlon 1+0, Jimmy Moutrey 0+2.

(match 2): Aiden Parker 2+0.

Cherokees were more comfortable winners in their two games against Northern Ireland U12 selected. On Saturday Cherokees went ahead at 04.07 with Joshua Lalande strike and 21 seconds later Callum Davies doubled the lead by the end of the first period. Davies, Daniel Coffey and Lalande had put Cherokees into a 5-0 lead.

Ashleigh Holland, Lalanda and a Grant Sharp brace saw Cherokees 9-0 ahead before the home side netted their consolation reply at 25.40.

Lalande, Davies and Sharp each completed hat-tricks, Coffey and Graham Robson all scored as Cherokees won 15-1.

Sunday morning's game was again won by Cherokees with a 6-0 margin. Lalande opened the scoring at 03.55 before Sharp and Davies made it 3-0 by the end of the period. Sharp, Emma Hall and Davies struck further goals in the final period. Steven Ashley and Matthew Pyre shared a 15-shot shut-out.

Cherokees (match 1): Joshua Lalanda, Grant Sharp 4+0, Callum Davies 3+1, Daniel Coffey 2+2, Graham Robson 1+1, Ashleigh Holland 1+0.

(match 2): Sharp, Davies 2+0, Lalanda 1+1, Emma Hall 1+0, Matthew Williamson, Coffey 0+2, Holland 0+1.

Billingham Bears' chances of reaching the English U16 championship play-offs increased when they defeated Kingston Crunch 2-0 at Hull ice arena. It was always going to be a close affair with the top two qualifying for the play-offs and Bears are second and Kingston third.

Bears took the lead in the final minute of this first with a James Udell strike. This put them in the driving seat but could not get the second goal in a goalless middle session.

Kingston battled away in the third period to try and snatch an equaliser. Bears' Michael Farn and Crunch's Lewis Day both left the match in the final period on misconduct penalties. Liam Telfer made certain of Billingham's victory with a second goal on the powerplay at 41.06.

Netminder Richard Griffiths faced 14 shots for his shut-out. It was his third in six starts for Bears this season.

Bears: Liam Telfer 1+1, James Udell 1+0, Steven Pritchard, Ricky Box 0+1.

Billingham Falcons hosted Blackburn Kestrels in the English U14 North A League at the Forum ice arena. A week ago the teams met at Blackburn with Kestrels 10-1 winners on home ice. Falcons did a little better losing 8-1.

Falcons without a point conceded two goals in the opening six minutes. They got on the scoresheet at 14.10 when Jonathan Galloway reduced the deficit. Kestrels scored twice in the middle and four times in the final period to complete the victory.

Falcons: Jonathan Galloway 1+0, Stephanie Box 0+1.

Whitley Bay Arrows failed to halt Sheffield Lasers' 100 per cent record in the English U12 North A League at Hillheads on Sunday. Arrows lie second from bottom and candidates for promotion/relegation play-offs while Lasers are on course for the U12 championship finals.

Arrows: Callum Watson 1+0.

Sunderland Apaches U10 North/Midlands League encounter against visiting Nottingham Pumas at the Telewest Arena turned into a challenge match as Apaches did not have enough players to fulfil the tie.

Apaches battled bravely in going down to a 0-20 defeat.

Whitley Bay Mischiefs travelled to Blackburn Merlins for an U10 Challenge. Kate Ord scored both Mischiefs' goals in a 9-2 loss.

Philip Atherton struck Whitley Tomahawks' consolation goal as they lost 1-5 at Nottingham Cougars in the English U16 North A League.

English National Hockey League North

Billingham Bombers have still an outside chance of a top four finish and a place in the play-offs. Two wins over Sunderland Chiefs and Blackburn Hawks took them to sixth place at the Telewest Arena.

Bombers (v Sunderland): Andrew Fletcher, Scott Ward 2+1, Stephen Johnson 2+2, Martin Lewis 1+0, Paul Windridge, Simon Hehir 0+3, Jamie Pattison, Ian Richardson 0+1.

Chiefs: Chris Brown 1+0, Shaun Buck, Paul Watson 0+1.

Bombers hosted Blackburn on Sunday and led 2-0 at the first interval with a brace from Windridge. Johnson added a third in the first minute after the restart. Hawks cut the deficit with two goals in five minutes by the end of the second period.

A Simon Hehir double and an Ian Richardson powerplay strike took Bombers to a 6-2 lead with eight minutes remaining. The visitors netted a third a minute later when short-handed to round off the scoring.

Bombs (v Blackburn): Windridge 2+3, Hehir 2+0, Johnson 1+3, Richardson 1+0, Lewis, Fletcher, Andy Thornton, Iain Buchanan 0+1.

Sunderland Chiefs achieved a remarkable victory at Flintshire Freeze to take the points in a 4-3 victory. This was after being 0-3 down.

Chiefs (v Flintshire): Shaun Black 3+1, Chris Black 1+0, Stuart Weaner, Michael Allinson, Richard Danskin, Paul Watson 0+1.

Whitley Warriors thumped Grimsby Buffaloes 34-3 at Hillheads. Grimsby came with eight skaters and two netminders and were always going to find the going tough. Paul Graham opened the scoring on 64 seconds and at the end of the first period Warriors led 8-2. Andrew Carter's first goal at 10.24 was his 150th for Whitley. Carter, Graham and Bryan Dunn all scored seven goals apiece while Andrew Tindale did not score a goal, he weighed in with 12 assists. Warriors are in third place with two games to go in the regular season at Bradford and home to Blackburn are set for a play-off berth.

Warriors: Andrew Carter 7+6, Paul Graham 7+5, Bryan Dunn 7+4, Bobby Bradley, Lee Baxter 4+9, Paul Matthews, Jon Emerson, Garry Dowd 1+2, Daniel Good 1+1, Robert Wilson 1+0, Andrew Tindale 0+12, Kevin Bucas 0+6, Dale Howey, Andrew Robinson, Stephen Winn 0+1.

Tomorrow's fixtures

Findus British National League: Newcastle KBS Vipers v Hull Thunder (6.30pm)

English National Hockey League North: Billingham Bombers v Altrincham Aces (6.30pm)

English National Premier League Cup North: Blackburn Hawks v Whitley Warriors (6pm)

Women's Premier League: *Sunderland Scorpions v Brackenell Queen Bees (noon).

English U16 North B League: *Sunderland Arrows v Grimsby Dynamos (2.45pm)

(all Sunderland home games at Newcastle Telewest Arena).

Sunday's fixtures

Findus British National League: Edinburgh Capitals v Newcastle KBS Vipers (6pm)

English National Hockey League North: Billingham Bombers v Flintshire Freeze (6.30pm); Whitley Warriors v Blackburn Hawks (6.30pm)

English U19 North A League: Nottingham Leopards v Sunderland Tomahawks (7.30pm)

English U12 North A League: Kingston Rivermen v Sunderland Cherokees (12.15pm)

U10 Challenge: Whitley Mischiefs v Altrincham Colts (12.15pm).