Archive
Fri, 12 July 2002
Bradford Bulls 36
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 18
Bradford Bulls: Michael Withers, Tevita Vaikona, Scott Naylor, Nathan McAvoy, Lesley Vainikolo, Leon Pryce, Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, James Lowes, Brian McDermott, Lee Radford, Daniel Gartner, Mike Forshaw
Subs: Alex Wilkinson, Richard Moore, Robert Parker, Jamie Langley
Tries: Michael Withers, Scott Naylor, Nathan McAvoy, Lesley Vainikolo, Daniel Gartner, Mike Forshaw
Goals: Michael Withers(5), Robbie Paul
Wildcats: Martyn Holland, Andrew Frew, Kris Tassell, Phil Hassan, Neil Law, Martin Moana, Brad Davis, Damon Keating, David March, Paul Jackson, Troy Slattery, Gareth Ellis, Deon Bird
Subs: Paul Broadbent, Jamie Field, Chris Feather, Julien Rinaldi
Tries: Moana (2), Tassell
Goals: Davis (3)
Wakefield have been subjected to a tough week by coach Peter Roe since dropping to the foot of Super League last Sunday at Salford, but put in a much improved showing this time out.
They were only 14-12 behind to the Super League leaders at half time and 20-18 down before Mike Forshaw, Scott Naylor and Nathan McAvoy scored late tries.
Wakefield had found themselves 14-0 down on the half hour despite going closest early on through Kris Tassell.
Tries to Lesley Vainikolo and Michael Withers, who added two conversions after opening the scoring with a penalty put the Bulls in a seemingly commanding lead.
Vainikolo has had a miserable time through injury since joining the Bulls, but showed his talents by breaking free on half way before rounding Martyn Holland, while Withers added a second score on 28 minutes.
Martin Moana got the Wildcats off the mark after Deon Bird showed his talents, and Kris Tassell's try, when he touched down in the corner pulled them back to within two points at the break, Brad Davis converting both scores.
Daniel Gartner edged the Bulls ahead before Moana's second once more cut the gap when he powered in.
The Bulls had gone into the game without internationals Stuart Fielden and Lee Gilmour and the injury Paul Anderson and Paul Deacon, and lost James Lowes during the first half.
But they showed their champion qualities to pull away at the end and seal two more points when Forshaw, Naylor and McAvoy, breached the Wakefield line on 71, 77 and 79 minutes to seal the win.
"It was an heroic effort and at 20-18 I felt we might just have gone on to win," said Wakefield coach Peter Roe.
"But the last few minutes just showed how cruel the game can be. So near, so far yet again."
Bulls assistant coach Darrel Shelford was standing in for coach Brian Noble, who is in Australia with Great Britain, and he admits that the display was a below-par one despite the absences of key players.
"I was worried until the last 10 minutes," he said. "We did not control the ball as well as we anticipated and the loss of Jimmy Lowes set us back."