Bradford Bulls 41-22 Castleford Tigers
The win moves Bradford Bulls off the foot of the Super League
Friday, 19, Feb 2010 08:56
By Tom Powell
Bradford Bulls moved themselves off the foot of the Super League with a 41-22 win over Castleford Tigers at the Grattan Stadium.
After losses to the Huddersfield Giants and St Helens the Bulls bounced back in fine style with a strong all round display that lifts them to tenth in the Super League.
The Tigers sit two places above their opponents with one win and two losses from their opening three fixtures and their night was further spoiled after Richard Owen was stretchered off with a broken leg.
Four first half tries gave the Bulls the lead at the interval but scores from Michael Shenton and Richie Owen meant it was all to play for at 25-12.
Three more second half tries confirmed the result but the Tigers gave their supporters something to shout about running in two late tries to make the final score slightly more respectable.
The Bulls named an unchanged squad from the one that was beaten 38-6 by St Helens last weekend whilst Castleford brought Ryan Clayton and Nathan Massey into the squad that lost at home to Warrington, with Dean Widders and John Davies missing out.
Bradford got themselves off to the perfect start as Nick Scruton shrugged off the flimsy challenges of Stuart Jones and Ryan Hudson to touch down between the sticks before Matt Orford's conversion made it 6-0 with five minutes on the clock.
And the hosts were into double figures immediately after the restart as Rikki Sheriffe touched down in the corner.
Steve Menzies beat Michael Wainwright to Orford's cross field kick and the veteran offloaded to Sheriffe who finished the move with ease. Orford added two more with a touchline conversion.
The home crowd must have felt their side's first win of the season was imminent but the Tigers had other ideas and halved the deficit midway through the half.
Rangi Chase lofted an inviting kick the way of Michael Shenton and the winger gratefully fell on the loose ball after Sheriffe could only fumble the ball over the Bulls whitewash.
Joe Westerman kicked the extras but his side were soon 12 points behind once more as their fragile defence buckled for the third time.
Indiscipline handed the Bulls decent field position from which Heath L'Estrange fed Elliott Whitehead who crashed over from close range to re-establish his side's lead, with Orford adding two more to the Bulls tally.
And the scrum-half was soon landing his fourth conversion as the Bulls continued to put Castleford to the sword, Brett Kearney this time touching down.
Menzies and Paul Sykes traded passes 30 metres from the Tigers line before the centre released Kearney who strolled under the posts unopposed.
Just when it seemed the Tigers were in for a mauling they gave themselves a lifeline eight minutes before the break.
Craig Huby's kick dropped into the hands of Richard Owen and the youngster finished off the move expertly. Westerman made it two from two with the boot but with the seconds ticking down Orford slotted a drop-goal to give the Bulls a 25-12 half-time lead.
Defences were on top at the beginning of the second half but it was the Bulls who were looking the more threatening with Wainwright needing to be alert to stop Sheriffe going over in the corner with 50 minutes played.
There were 58 minutes on the clock when the first points of the second half came and they went the way of the Bulls.
Sykes' grubber kick was hacked on by Sheriffe and into the path of Dave Halley who scooped the ball up and touched down to put the Bulls out of sight.
The win was all but confirmed six minutes later as Kearney grabbed his second score of the night after latching onto a pass from the influential L'Estrange and Orford made it six from six with the boot to take the Bulls lead to 37-12.
The Tigers were second best in all departments but Terry Matterson's men could not be faulted for effort and grabbed a consolation nine minutes from time as Ryan McGoldrick found Steve Snitch and the second-row scampered over from close range.
And they weren't finished there as McGoldrick set up his side's fourth try, chipping a kick over the Bulls backline for captain Ryan Hudson to run on to and touchdown and drag his side to within 15 points with the help of Westerman's conversion.
But the last laugh went to the Bulls and Sykes who ran onto Kearney's delayed pass and through a huge hole in the tired Tigers defence to lift the home faithful off their seat for the seventh time.
Orford's 100 per cent record with the boot disappeared as he hooked his conversion attempt wide but it mattered not as the Bulls ran out 41-22 winners.