WIDNES VIKINGS 16 BRADFORD BULLS 28
JAMES GORDON, DCBL Stadium, Sunday
BRADFORD BULLS kept up the pressure on the Championship top two by outscoring Widnes five tries to two.
A big play by Waqa Blake with quarter an hour to go, a one-on-one ball steal after Widnes had just squandered an opportunity at the other end, enabled Luke Hooley to break the 16-all stalemate, before Jayden Okunbor’s interception try sealed the win late on.
The first try of the game came from deep for Widnes, Joe Edge stepping and then fending to break free from inside his own 10 metres, and a couple of tackles later, Dec Patton’s shallow kick was caught by Ben Condon, who offloaded to Dan Murray to fall over the line.
Bradford’s response also started in their own half, Luke Hooley catching Patton’s high kick and then being allowed to run 30 metres, with a quick play-the-ball, then finding Tom Holmes on the left and with a disjointed defensive line he found a line to get Bradford’s first try unopposed from 40 metres out.
Widnes made the most of their next chance midway through the first half, a delayed pass by Will Roberts finding the threatening Condon to touch down, and Roberts then added a penalty following a high tackle on Nick Gregson to put Widnes 14-6 in front.
While Widnes had made the most of their chances, Bradford were finding the going tougher. Mitch Souter was held up over the line from a dummy-half burrow and a few tackles later, Jayden Okunbor couldn’t bring in a floated pass to the right wing.
Okunbor did get on the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time, stepping inside after the Bulls had created an overlap, though planned goalkicker Hooley was forced off for a head-injury assessment, meaning Jordan Lilley re-appeared from the bench but couldn’t add the goal to keep it at a four-point game at the break.
A knock-on by Okunbor gifted Widnes a good chance early in the second half but Mike Butt was dragged into touch on the first tackle, and it was the Bulls who got the first score after the break to put them in front for the first time.
Gavin Bennion charged down Joe Keyes’ kick just inside the Vikings half, but was unable to capture the loose ball and Bradford made the most of the second invitation, Hooley ghosting through on the right and finding Zac Fulton on his inside shoulder.
Widnes levelled things up shortly before the hour mark when Roberts converted a second penalty of the afternoon and then his 40/20 also led to pressure on the Bradford line.
The Vikings blew their best chance though, gifted to them by a rash Guy Armitage offload, knocking on early in the tackle count and they were made to pay.
Rhys Williams fielded a kick 25 metres out from his own line only to have his pocket picked by Blake, and with the Widnes defence dishevelled on the next tackle, Hooley eased through down the middle to score by the side of the posts with 10 minutes to go before Okunbor’s 70 metre-dash.
GAMESTAR: Luke Hooley was assured in defence and attack for the Bulls.
GAMEBREAKER: Waqa Blake’s ball-steal on Rhys Williams as he fielded a kick swung the game in Bradford’s favour.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
4 Joe Edge
5 Mike Butt
17 Max Roberts
3 Matt Fleming
29 Rhys Williams
19 Declan Patton
27 Will Roberts
8 Dan Murray
9 Jordan Johnstone
15 Liam Bent
23 Ben Condon
31 Adam Lawton
18 Nick Gregson
Subs (all used)
13 Morgan McWhirter
14 Matty Fozard
21 Gavin Bennion
32 Tom McKinney
Tries: Murray (4), Condon (20)
Goals: W Roberts 4/4
BULLS
26 Luke Hooley
37 Jayden Okunbor
3 Waqa Blake
4 Kieran Gill
5 Guy Armitage
7 Joe Keyes
1 Tom Holmes
15 Logan Bayliss
9 Jordan Lilley
16 Nathan Mason
11 Zac Fulton
12 Matty Gee
27 Eribe Doro
Subs (all used)
10 Ebon Scurr
14 Mitch Souter
18 Sam Hallas
20 Ronan Michael
Tries: Holmes (14), Okunbor (39, 78), Fulton (45), Hooley (70)
Goals: Lilley 1/2, Hooley 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 14-6, 14-10; 14-16, 16-16, 16-22, 16-28
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Ben Condon; Bulls: Luke Hooley
Penalty count: 4-5
Half-time: 14-10
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 3,304