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LEEDS KNIGHTS’ youngsters Oliver Endicott and Archie Hazeldine were among the goals but unable to prevent what could turn out to be a costly 7-4 defeat to Croatia at the IIHF World Championships in Lithuania.

Hopes were high heading into the second game of the Division 2A campaign for Martin Grubb’s side having edged out the hosts 4-3 in Sunday’s opener in Kaunas.

But they were never in the game, finding themselves 4-1 down after the first 20 minutes, before conceding two more unanswered goals in the second period. Three GB goals came in a better third period, but it was too little, too late.

It had all started so promisingly for GB, however, when they went ahead through Bayley Harewood with just two minutes on the board.

LOSING SIDE: Leeds Knights' Oliver Endicott scored a late goal for GB Under-20s, but it couldn't prevent a 7-4 defeat to Croatia at the IIHF World Championships in Lithuania. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

But, thereafter, they ran into penalty trouble which was to prove costly, with three of Croatia’s four first period goals coming on the power play.

With Haywood in the box on an interference call, Croatia levelled through Niksa Juric at 6.29, their go-ahead goal coming just over a minute later through Vito Idzan, whose strike came while Jonathan McBean was in the box for tripping.

It got worse for GB when Niko Cavlovic struck to make it 3-1 at 15.18, a tripping call on Jack Hopkins then proving costly when Ante Bebek increased the lead to three on the subsequent power play with just 54 seconds of the period remaining.

Juric doubled his tally just before the halfway mark – his team benefitting from another power play opportunity after Jacob White-Sey had been sent to the box for tripping. Idzan matched team-mate Juric’s output with his second of the night at 31.02, at which point netminder Daniel Crowe was replaced by former Bradford Bulldogs’ goalie Ben Norton.

ON TARGET: Leeds Knights' D-man Archie Hazeldine was among the goals for GB Under-20s at the IIHF World Championships but it couldn't prevent defeat against Croatia in Launas. Picture courtesy of Oliver Portamento

Lindgren reduced the deficit to four goals just under three minutes into the second on the power play and when Hazeldine made it 6-3 at 47.08, there was faint hope of turning the game around. But nothing of the like was forthcoming, Bruno Idanz making it 7-3 with last-minute empty-net marker, Endicott’s subsequent goal nothing more than a consolation.

Grubb’s players have a chance to bounce straight back when they take on Romania on Wednesday at 10.30am UK time.

Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, December 15 at 10am for Great Britain’s international matches in April.

GB will face Latvia at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Saturday, April 22 (7pm), with the two sides going head-to-head again in Coventry the following day, Sunday, April 23 (5:30pm).

Britain face Hungary in Milton Keynes on Tuesday, April 25 (7:30pm) and they’ll then meet at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham 24 hours later, Wednesday, April 26 (7:30pm).

Ticket prices are as follow: Adults, £20, Seniors, £15, Students, £15, Under-16s, £13.

Leeds Knights duo in the goals but GB Under-20s disappoint in loss to Croatia