FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 24 BRADFORD BULLS 48
KEITH MCGHIE, Millennium Stadium, Sunday
A THRILLING display, including a Kieran Gill hat-trick, helped Bradford end a sequence of three straight defeats and restore their position among the sides fancied for honours.
League losses to Toulouse and Barrow had left question marks against their early domination, but nine tries were more than enough to condemn troubled Featherstone to a fourth consecutive defeat.
It also left the Peter G Fox Memorial Trophy – competed for between two of the clubs coached by the legend – with the Bulls.
Rovers, having slipped into the bottom four following their recent run, made numerous changes with Calum Turner coming into the halves, so allowing Danny Addy to revert to loose-forward.
King Vuniyayawa started at prop where he was joined by new loan signing from Leigh Nathan Wilde, while Jayden Hatton and Robson Stevens, who both missed the 38-12 defeat at Halifax, were back in the 17.
Bradford, smarting from their defeat to Barrow, welcomed back powerhouse prop Franklin Pele.
The scene was set by free-running Bradford making probably more clean breaks during the first half than they they hitherto had this season.
Within five minutes, hesitation in the home defence resulted in a Joe Keyes kick to the in-goal being grounded by Mitch Souter.
Almost immediately after Luke Hooley had landed the first of his six goals, an eye-catching Pele 30-metre run was only halted by a forward pass.
A wicked high bounce quickly helped Featherstone restore parity as Hooley was left grasping the air while Brad Day capitalised on his own kick to score – Turner converting from in front of the posts.
Ronan Michael was held up, before quick hands to the left enabled Guy Armitage to restore Bradford’s lead in the left-hand corner, Hooley converting.
A fine Hooley 40/20 around the half-hour mark put Bradford in a threatening position from where Jayden Okunbur was able to extend their advantage.
A Waqa Blake touchdown, after a James Meadows kick was allowed to bounce, was ruled out and a thrilling Jordan Lilley 40-metre break ended in the ball going to ground.
But, despite a Connor Jones-instigated moment of danger at the other end, the interchanging of passes between Gill and Armitage gave the former a try which was improved for a 22-6 half-time advantage.
Two Bradford handling errors at the start of the second period gifted Featherstone a chance for Day to grab his second score, goaled by Turner, and give his side renewed impetus.
But that was quashed by a flash of genius from Keyes which sent supporting Michael Lawrence over for a rare touchdown, converted by Hooley.
A couple of minutes later, Meadows interacted with Zac Fulton to score again, with Hooley again good from the tee.
Derrell Olpherts claimed a well-worked Featherstone try which Turner improved, but a strange Gill touchdown, when everyone seemed to freeze as a Meadows grubber bobbled along the line, and Hooley’s goal consolidated the Odsal outfit’s lead once more.
Blake set Hooley free and several thrilling offloads later, Bradford moved within a converted score of the half-century with Armitage finally touching down for his second try.
Connor Barley grabbed another consolation with a 75-metre dash after claiming a loose ball, Louix Gorman goaling.
But Vuniyayawa was sinbinned for deliberate obstruction (Meadows had earlier been yellow carded for dissent), and Gill completed his hat-trick, although his try went unconverted.
GAMESTAR: Luke Hooley shone for Bradford at the back, in the line and with the boot.
GAMEBREAKER: Featherstone could make little impression on Bradford’s steady scoring throughout.
MATCHFACTS
ROVERS
35 Louix Gorman
2 Derrell Olpherts
36 Connor Barley
4 Jayden Hatton
23 Connor Wynne
1 Caleb Aekins
22 Calum Turner
16 King Vuniyayawa
9 Will Jubb
37 Nathan Wilde
11 Brad Day
17 Clay Webb
13 Danny Addy
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Jones
21 Jordan Williams
10 Jimmy Beckett
19 Robson Stevens
Tries: Day (14, 43), Olpherts (55), Barley (70)
Goals: Turner 3/3, Gorman 1/1
Sin bin: Vuniyayawa (77) – professional foul
BULLS
26 Luke Hooley
37 Jayden Okunbor
3 Waqa Blake
4 Kieran Gill
5 Guy Armitage
6 James Meadows
7 Joe Keyes
8 Michael Lawrence
14 Mitch Souter
17 Franklin Pele
11 Zac Fulton
12 Matty Gee
13 James Donaldson
Subs (all used)
9 Jordan Lilley
16 Nathan Mason
18 Sam Hallas
20 Ronan Michael
Tries: Souter (5), Armitage (24, 67), Okunbor (31), Gill (39, 63, 77), Lawrence (48), Meadows (50)
Goals: Hooley 6/9
Sin bin: Meadows (70) – dissent
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 6-16, 6-22; 12-22, 12-28, 12-34, 18-34, 18-40, 18-44, 24-44, 24-48
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rovers: Brad Day; Bulls: Luke Hooley
Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 6-22
Referee: Cameron Worsley
