HUNSLET 20 BRADFORD BULLS 38
PHIL CAPLAN, South Leeds Stadium, Sunday
JORGE TAUFUA and Bayley Liu both crossed twice as Bradford made it two wins from two and left Hunslet still seeking a point on their return to the second tier.
After a disappointing performance at Barrow, the home side welcomed a vociferous crowd.
The toughest of tests against the team expected to set the benchmark in the Championship, so it proved, the Bulls dominating from the off but Hunslet ‘winning’ the second half.
It illustrated the respective strength in depth of the rivals, Hunslet missing three of their middles and Jimmy Watson at the back, but Bradford having quality cover in all positions to compensate for the absence of Joe Keyes and James Donaldson, with Liu making his competitive debut.
Bradford coach Brian Noble noted: “It was a terrific win, hard fought in the end.
“Our first half was pretty much exemplary, we were powerful and could have had more points. They came for us in the second, credit to them and we need to learn lessons from that.”
In breezy conditions which were cloying underfoot, Bradford got a restart on the second set, and James Meadows set the position for Tom Holmes’ lobbed pass which sent Taufua in wide out.
Then a huge midfield break by Tyran Ott sent supporting Meadows over, Jordan Lilley goaling, and, with a penalty in their next set and Hunslet unable to stop the offload – Ott again prominent – Liu was on hand to make it three tries in nine minutes, two improved.
Hunslet forced a knock-on around halfway but Noah Booth spilt possession on the first, Meadows probing and Lilley’s fine pass sending Liu in for a second try on the back of it to keep up the barrage. Lilley again converted.
Booth made up for his error with a 70-metre interception try (goaled by Matty Beharrell) after he pouched a pass by Meadows, who then forced a drop-out at the other end, Lilley cleverly going over between the posts on the back of a third penalty in the visitors’ favour, then converting.
Franklin Pele charged, Ott was held up and on the back of the fifth penalty, awarded with Hunslet in possession, and Lilley added his fifth goal as the half-time hooter sounded.
Sam Hallas was penalised for a double movement in a scrappy start to the second half, Hunslet went high on Waqa Blake and Pele made them pay powering over for 34-6.
Taufua – not for the first time – dropped a Kobe Rugless kick, and flick pass put Mackenzie Scurr over to delight the home fans. Beharrell goaled.
Lilley had a kick charged down and Beharrell forced a drop-out, Liam Welham’s offload allowing Greg Eden to take the loose ball to go over.
Hunslet’s revival momentarily caused frustrations to boil over, Bradford getting a penalty from the resulting melee with the hosts in possession, but Billy Jowitt kicked a huge 40-20 from which Welham stepped over, Beharrell’s conversion attempt hitting a post.
Hunslet lost possession bringing the ball out from their own quarter, and Blake fed Taufua to end the contest as it had begun.
Bradford remain one of the few clubs Hunslet haven’t beaten since their re-formation in 1973, now a run of 29 games going back 57 years in total.
GAMESTAR: Performing behind a dominant Bradford pack, James Meadows and Jordan Lilley ruled the roost, but only on the back of the work of Tyran Ott.
GAMEBREAKER: Three Bulls tries in the opening nine minutes meant that there was only going to be one winner despite Hunslet’s second-half fightback.
MATCHFACTS
HUNSLET
4 Billy Jowitt
2 Mackenzie Scurr
16 Greg Eden
30 Noah Booth
5 Mackenzie Turner
6 Lachy Hanneghan
7 Matty Beharrell
27 Sam Campbell
9 Ross Whitmore
31 Kevin Larroyer
19 Liam Welham
12 Aaron Levy
32 Zach Fishwick
Subs (all used)
8 Harvey Hallas
25 Koby Rugless
26 Ethan O’Hanlon
13 Jordan Syme
Tries: Booth (21), Scurr (59), Eden (62), Welham (69)
Goals: Beharrell 2/4
BULLS
1 Tom Holmes
23 Jorge Taufua
3 Waqa Blake
4 Kieran Gill
5 Guy Armitage
6 James Meadows
9 Jordan Lilley
8 Michael Lawrence
19 Tyran Ott
10 Ebon Scurr
11 Zac Fulton
25 Bayley Liu
20 Ronan Michael
Subs (all used)
16 Nathan Mason
17 Franklin Pele
18 Sam Hallas
21 Emmanuel Waine
Tries: Taufua (3, 75), Meadows (6), Liu (9, 16), Lilley (31), Pele (53)
Goals: Lilley 5/8
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-16, 0-22, 6-22, 6-28, 6-30; 6-34, 12-34, 16-34, 20-34, 20-38
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hunslet: Billy Jowitt; Bulls: Tyran Ott
Penalty count: 1-9
Half-time: 6-30
Referee: Ryan Cox
Attendance: 1,470
