BRADFORD BULLS 4 WARRINGTON WOLVES 42
EMMA KENNEDY, Bartercard Odsal, Saturday

WARRINGTON scored 42 unanswered points as they kept the pressure on the top three with a comfortable win at Bradford.

The visitors had got off to a slow start on their first visit to Odsal in twelve years, but a quick burst of tries either side of half-time, coupled with some feeble defence from a patched-up Bulls, saw them home with ease.

Bradford, who were at times brilliant and others lacklustre, were given an early scare when Caleb Aekins knocked-on a Ewan Irwin bomb, but their defence stood up to its first test with relative ease.

Zac Fulton, one of a number of players out of position amid an injury crisis that has claimed Jayden Nikorima and Chris Atkin as its latest victims, then knocked-on a simple pass, but Toby King could not take in the ball from the resultant scrum as another gilt-edged chance went begging.

However, with Warrington’s discipline waning, Bradford capitalised on back-to-back penalties as Ethan Ryan rose highest to Atkin’s chip to the left corner before gathering the ball at the second attempt to open the scoring just before the quarter-hour.

The visitors soon hit back, with quick hands from King sending Matty Ashton into the left corner from a neat scrum-play after Atkin had knocked-on in a tackle. Irwin’s first goal of a perfect seven put his side in front.

Bradford put themselves under more pressure after conceding a penalty for offside close to their line, but despite substitutes Joe Philbin and Toafofoa Sipley – who shifted the momentum off the bench – both coming close, a knock-on put an end to a promising move.

However, after again knocking-on close to their line, the Bulls were punished when Irwin played in Albert Hopoate on the angle, the centre proving too strong from close range.

King soon added Warrington’s third, easily breaking the tackle of Luke Hooley – another stand-in centre – to score in the left corner. Irwin converted both, widening the gap to 18-4 going into the break.

The hosts looked to hit back on the stroke of half-time after Atkin’s chip to the left corner appeared to have been knocked forward by Josh Thewlis, but though their appeals were ignored by referee Aaron Moore, a stray pass that flew past Ashton and into touch ensured justice was served.

Home supporters certainly made their voices heard with boos towards the officials at half-time.

Bradford came out well after the break, with Atkin beating Hopoate to a Riley Dean bomb, but Joe Mellor was wrapped up just short.

Despite Loghan Lewis leaving the field for a HIA (which he later passed) after a Sipley tackle that was put on report, the hosts looked to have hit back after Ryan Sutton broke down the left before unselfishly feeding the supporting Jamie Gill, only for video referee Matty Lynn to rule the score out for obstruction.

Instead, Warrington extended their lead with two quick-fire tries.

First, Philbin powered over from close range after some neat footwork from Leon Hayes, before a series of delightful reverse passes sent the returning Jordan Crowther through a gaping hole in the Bradford defence, Irwin converting both from in front of the posts to widen the gap to 30-4.

The visitors almost scored again just before the hour, despite what looked a forward pass in the build-up, but Lachlan Webster could not collect a looping cut-out pass with the tryline begging.

King was next to see a try disallowed for the visitors after a Connor Wynne high tackle dislodged the ball from his grasp at the line, and they were again denied from the resultant penalty, with a Hopoate effort chalked off for obstruction.

But Warrington put that behind them on 62 minutes, with Irwin leaving defenders grasping at thin air after dummying his way through behind the posts before adding the extras.

A Thewlis error gifted Bradford a promising attacking set, only for the hosts to knock on, but they recovered well at the other end of the pitch to drag Webster into touch.

There was no stopping Ashton from Warrington’s next attack with eight minutes remaining, the winger collecting Kelepi Tanginoa’s cut-out pass and strolling into the left corner, Irwin again nailing a tricky conversion to maintain his perfect record from the tee.

Bradford thought they had the last word when Wynne raced towards a hopeful kick downfield, but the winger’s momentum saw him overshoot the in-goal area.

GAMESTAR: Young halfback Ewan Irwin was the beating heart of Warrington, also crossing for his own try and enjoying a faultless evening from the tee.

GAMEBREAKER: Jamie Gill’s disallowed try, with Warrington scoring a quick double shortly after to take the game away from their hosts.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jordan Crowther’s try was made by some sublime reverse passes.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Ewan Irwin (Warrington)
2 pts Albert Hopoate (Warrington)
1 pt Joe Philbin (Warrington)

MATCHFACTS

BULLS
  1 Caleb Aekins
23 Connor Wynne
22 Luke Hooley
12 Zac Fulton
5 Ethan Ryan
38 Riley Dean
32 Chris Atkin
19 Will Gardiner
9 Andy Ackers
28 Jamie Gill
8 Ryan Sutton
25 Elliot Peposhi
13 Joe Mellor
Subs (all used)
10 Loghan Lewis
16 Ebon Scurr
27 Alfie Leake
39 Thomas Doyle
18th man (not used)
30 Leon Ruan
Also in 20-man squad
6 Jayden Nikorima
36 Harvey Ward

Tries: Ryan (14)
Goals: Hooley 0/1

WOLVES
  2 Josh Thewlis
35 Lachlan Webster
4 Albert Hopoate
3 Toby King
5 Matty Ashton
18 Ewan Irwin
19 Leon Hayes
10 James Harrison
9 Danny Walker
16 Liam Byrne
11 Adam Holroyd
20 James Bentley
13 Ben Currie
Subs (all used)
17 Jordan Crowther
15 Toafofoa Sipley
22 Joe Philbin
34 Kelepi Tanginoa
18th man (not used)
26 Josh Smith
Also in 21-man squad
1 Cai Taylor-Wray
7 Marc Sneyd
14 Sam Powell

Tries: Ashton (21, 72), Hopoate (30), King (34), Philbin (50), Crowther (55), Irwin (62)
Goals: Irwin 7/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 4-12, 4-18; 4-24, 4-30, 4-36, 4-42

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulls: Ebon Scurr; Wolves: Ewan Irwin

Penalty count: 9-8
Half-time: 4-18
Referee: Aaron Moore