WIDNES MATCH REPORT

Bradford Bulls fell to a last gasp defeat at the Bartercard Odsal Stadium this afternoon at the hands of Widnes Vikings.

Bulls head coach Eamon O’Carroll was forced into a whole host of changes for this afternoon’s home clash to face a strong Widnes Vikings side with Tom Holmes returning for the first time.

Starts were also given to Eliot Peposhi, Tyran Ott and Harvey Wilson while winger Jacob Douglas was given an immediate debut after arriving on loan from Wigan Warriors.

Bradford Bulls got the game underway and before long found themselves under a lot of defensive pressure from the visitors. Widnes had an early try ruled out as a looping pass out wide was forward.

With fourteen minutes gone of the game, Widnes’ Tom Gilmore had his high kicked spilled to give Widnes a full set only ten metres out. The Widnes pressure then paid off as an overload on the left saw Ryan Ince open the scoring in the corner. Tom Gilmore then converted the try to give Widnes a six nil lead.

Six minutes later, Tom Holmes was shown a yellow card as he was alleged to have tackled Rhodri Lloyd off the ball only five metres off the Bulls line. Tom Gilmore then called for the kicking tee but surprisingly shanked his kick well wide of the posts.

With only six minutes remaining of the first half, Bradford Bulls were putting the Widnes defence under heaps of pressure. The Bulls forced a goal line drop out and from that managed to shift the ball out to the right for Ben Blackmore to fly over in the corner. Jordan Lilley’s first conversion was short however, so Widnes took a 4-6 lead into the break.

The first big action of the second half came in the forty third minute as Jordan Lilley raced forward for the Bulls. Lilley collected his own chip and he released Tom Holmes on his left for Holmes to score an emotional try on his return. Jordan Lilley who created the try then converted it and the Bulls led 10-6.

In the fifty sixth minute of the game, Widnes were penalised for offloading the ball after the tackle was called held. Jordan Lilley then called for the kicking tee and kicked the penalty through the posts to give the Bulls a six-point lead.

With twelve minutes remaining of the game, Jordan Lilley found space and kicked a drop goal to give Bradford Bulls a thirteen points to six lead.

A few minutes later however, Widnes had a try and were right back into the game. Jordan Johnstone’s grubber through the Bulls defence was received by Joe Lyons who tapped the ball down for the try. Tom Gilmore then converted the try and Widnes shortened the score to within one point.

With five minutes left on the clock, Tom Gilmore found space in front of the posts and kicked a successful drop goal to level the score at 13-13.

In what was then a dramatic finish, the Bulls attempted their second drop goal of the game to win it. However, the kick was miscued and wide of the posts. The Widnes restart then saw them come forward themselves and Tom Gilmore kicked his second successive drop goal to win it for the visitors with barely any time left of the game.

BRADFORD BULLS: Aidan McGowan, Ben Blackmore, Jayden Myers, Kieran Gill, Jacob Douglas, Tom Holmes, Jordan Lilley, Eribe Doro, Tyran Ott, Fenton Rogers, Joe Arundel, Harvey Wilson, Eliot Peposhi.

INTERCHANGES: Keven Appo, Ebon Scurr, Dan Okoro, Mitch Souter.

18^th MAN: George Flanagan

TRIES: Blackmore, Holmes

GOALS: Lilley 2/3

DROP GOALS: Lilley