BRADFORD BULLS 28 CATALANS DRAGONS 10
KEITH McGHIE, Bartercard Odsal, Friday
AN astonishingly dominant opening half earned Bradford their first Super League victory in over 11 years on a night of passion and pride for the game’s until-recently fallen giants.
Not since September 7, 2014 had two members of the Europe’s top table last served up rugby league at the often maligned but still iconic Odsal Stadium, with almost ten thousand people turning out to greet them.
The Bulls took control through three tries and six goals before the break and, despite a second-half rally from the shellshocked Catalans, the hosts scored one more try and held on for a treasured maiden victory.
Having pushed Hull FC so close the previous Saturday, the Bulls had every reason to be confident against their French visitors, whose equally much-changed personnel savoured a comfortable victory against Huddersfield in a rain-lashed Perpignan.
The Bulls were without winger Jayden Okunbor and forward Dan Russell, both through knee injuries sustained in East Yorkshire, plus Joe Keyes (back spasms), who was replaced at stand-off by Luke Hooley, with Ethan Ryan returning from a rib injury for his 100th club appearance.
Dragons’ captain Ben Garcia was serving a one-match suspension, with Wigan-loaned Tiaki Chan making his second debut for the Dragons as his replacement.
Andy Ackers opened the scoring, working his way through a cluster of defenders to touch down with Rowan Milnes adding the first of six goals from seven attempts.
Milnes tagged on three simple penalties and the momentum was all with the Super League newcomers, albeit four-times champions in a previous life, as the Dragons’ problems were compounded by handling errors, a restart which flew out of play on the full and repeatedly poor discipline.
Catalans did have Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui held up with video replays inconclusive after referee Liam Rush gave a ‘no try’ on the field.
But, the momentum was all with Bradford and a clean break down the Bulls’ left edge was taken on by Caleb Aekins for Waqa Blake to finish off.
Then Aekins himself sliced diagonally through to score again before the hooter, with a defender barely touching him, and Milnes’ two conversions made it 24-0 at the break.
The Dragons finally got onto the scoreboard when Solomona Faataape dived between the posts four minutes into the second-half with Toby Sexton converting.
The hitherto back-peddling visitors were almost in again when Josh Simm broke clear but supporting Nick Cotric was brought down a metre from the line.
Sexton touched down a bobbling ball after confusion in the Bulls defence behind the line, and, as if by a magnetic force pulling towards the Rooley Lane end of the ground, it was now the Bulls kicking dead form the restart.
But the momentum swung once more when Tommy Makinson stepped into touch as he went to score in the corner.
The Bulls had a potentially pressure-relieving Esan Marsters try ruled out after lengthy video scrutiny but Blake claimed his second try shortly afterwards when following up a deftly palmed-back Milnes high kick to the corner.
The Dragons pressed again but determined defence saw the Bulls home for a standing ovation.
GAMESTAR: Caleb Aekins was always lively and involved.
GAMEBREAKER: Bradford’s third try just before the half-time hooter put them in seemingly total control at 24-0.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Caleb Aekins’ thrilling diagonal burst had the Bradford crowd in ecstasy at half-time.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Caleb Aekins (Bradford)
2 pts Waqa Blake (Bradford)
1 pt Joe Mellor (Bradford)
MATCHFACTS
BULLS
1 Caleb Aekins
23 Connor Wynne
3 Esan Marsters
4 Waqa Blake
5 Ethan Ryan
22 Luke Hooley
7 Rowan Milnes
8 Ryan Sutton
9 Andy Ackers
10 Loghan Lewis
12 Zac Fulton
17 Ed Chamberlain
23 Joe Mellor
Subs (all used)
14 Mitch Souter
15 Eribe Doro
16 Ebon Scurr
25 Eliot Peposhi
18th man (not used)
13 Leon Ruan
Also in 21-man squad
18 Joe Keyes
20 Brandon Douglas
21 Sam Hallas
Tries: Ackers (8), Blake (33, 61), Aekins (39)
Goals: Milnes 6/7
DRAGONS
1 Charlie Staines
2 Tommy Makinson
3 Nick Cotric
4 Solomona Faataape
22 Josh Simm
6 Toby Sexton
7 Lewis Dodd
8 Tevita Satae
9 Alrix Da Costa
17 Romain Navarrete
20 Zax Lipowicz
12 Ben Condon
19 Kruise Leeming
Subs (all used)
15 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui
16 Josh Allen
30 Alexis Lis
31 Tiaki Chan (D2)
18th man (not used)
14 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
Also in 21-man squad
21 Matthieu Laguerre
10 Julian Bousquet
18 Harvey Wilson
Tries: Faataape (44), Sexton (54)
Goals: Sexton 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 10-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0; 24-6, 24-10, 28-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulls: Caleb Aekins; Dragons: Toby Sexton
Penalty count: 7-2
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 9,992