Archive
Sun, 13 April 2008
Hull Kingston Rovers V Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls: Dave Halley, James Evans, Paul Sykes, Shontayne Hape, Semi Tadulala, Iestyn Harris, Ben Jeffries, Andy Lynch, Wayne Godwin, Sam Burgess, Chris Nero, Glenn Morrison, Jamie Langley
Subs: Chris Feather, Terry Newton, David Solomona, Simon Finnigan
Tries: Paul Sykes, Semi Tadulala, David Solomona
Goals: Iestyn Harris(3)
Hull KR: Briscoe, Fox, J. Webster, Cockayne, Fitzhenry, Cooke, J. Webster, Vella, Fisher, Mills, Gene, Newton, Galea.
Subs: Crossman, Lovegrove, Murrell, K. Netherton.
Tries: Fox, Cockayne, Newton.
Goals: Cooke (4 from 5)
REPORT
The Bradford Bulls missed the chance to go second in the engage Super League as Hull Kingston Rovers held on for a 20 points to 18 victory at Craven Park.
Tries from Clint Newton and Ben Cockayne gave Rovers an advantage they held off the Bulls in spite of heavy pressure in the second half.
Peter Fox and Semi Tadulala had traded tries in the opening minutes but the game was to prove a tight one with numerous errors and penalties on both sides.
Paul Cooke had a strong game for Rovers and landed four goals while Paul Sykes and David Solomona also crossed for the Bulls.
Rovers made a blistering start with Fox claiming the opening try with just two minutes on the clock.
Cooke played a full part in the build-up before Ben Fisher delicately kicked to the corner and Fox slid past Tadulala to touch down.
Tadulala made amends for his failure to stop Fox with a try at the other end just moments later, ironically this time after an error by the Rovers winger.
Fox had barely finished celebrating his try when, after Cooke’s touchline conversion, he spilled the ensuing kick-off.
The Bulls quickly recycled the ball from the resulting scrum and Ben Jeffries put Tadulala over in the corner with a long pass. With Iestyn Harris replicating Cooke’s effort from out wide, the match was all square again with barely five minutes gone.
Rovers should have reclaimed the lead when Cooke’s well-weighted kick was seized by Cockayne by the posts but the Rovers centre failed to keep control.
But Cooke was not to be denied and edged the hosts back in front with a penalty soon after and then set up Clint Newton for Rovers’ second.
Newton took Cooke’s reverse pass in his stride and spun through a tackle from Dave Halley to score.
Cooke made it 14-6 with another goal but Bradford missed the chance to claw points back before the break when a Wayne Godwin kick proved too strong for James Evans.
A series of penalties offered the Bulls a potential route back into the game early in the second half but they were unable to capitalise with Sykes and Chris Nero both squandering good possession.
Rovers weathered the storm and a penalty for a high tackle gave them breathing space.
James Webster was held up over the line as Rovers pushed forward but Cooke piled on the pressure for the Bulls with another kick for Cockayne to score a converted try.
Yet despite a healthy advantage, Rovers were made to sweat when Clint Newton was sent to the sin-bin for a late challenge on Jeffries.
The Bulls made the most of the opportunity with Sykes crashing over from a Terry Newton pass and Harris adding the extra two.
When Sykes scored the Bulls still had 18 minutes to remedy the situation but it was not until the last minute when Solomona breached the line again and, despite another Harris goal, it was just too late.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Bulls coach Steve McNamara said: "We're very disappointed. We have missed an opportunity and we are feeling pretty sore about it."
"We lacked in a lot of areas. Hull KR ran harder than us and tackled harder in the 80 minutes, and that's what happens."
Bradford missed the direction of scrum-half Paul Deacon, who missed the game after undergoing minor knee surgery.
McNamara added: "We were not as organised as we have been."
"We have been looking pretty well-drilled and organised in the last few weeks but for a number of reasons today - Paul Deacon not being available being one of them - we weren't."
"But we had enough capability and quality personnel out there that we should have done better."
Hull KR coach Justin Morgan felt his side had proved a point after denying Bradford the chance to climb to second in the engage Super League on Sunday afternoon.
Morgan felt the win was well deserved and also hit out at recent detractors of his side - including Sky Sports pundit Tony Rea, the former Harlequins coach.
"It just shows those people do not know what they are talking about," said Morgan.
"The absolute rubbish and garbage, drivel that comes out of their mouths is amazing. I don't even listen to it any more."
He added: "I thought we missed enthusiasm and desire last week - and I thought we had that today."
"I thought we should have won more comfortably than we did and thought we were by far and away the better side for the entire 80 minutes. It was a well-deserved victory."
"I thought in the second half we could have been a bit better; I thought maybe we got a bit excited."
"But we have missed our 'grizzle' in recent weeks, and I thought we had that back today. You can reel off half-a-dozen players who put in massive shots, and that gives you energy."