Archive
Sun, 01 September 2002
Bradford Bulls 46
London Broncos 14
Bradford Bulls: Michael Withers, Tevita Vaikona, Scott Naylor, Nathan McAvoy, Brandon Costin, Leon Pryce, Paul Deacon, Joe Vagana, James Lowes, Stuart Fielden, Jamie Peacock, Daniel Gartner, Mike Forshaw
Subs: Robbie Paul, Paul Anderson, Lee Radford, Robert Parker
Tries: Michael Withers (2), Tevita Vaikona, Nathan McAvoy (2), Leon Pryce (2), James Lowes
Goals: Paul Deacon (7)
Broncos: Paul Sykes, Steve Hall, Tony Martin, Nigel Roy, Dominic Peters, Michael Gillett, Dennis Moran, Francis Stephenson, Jason Hetherington, Richard Marshall, Steele Retchless, Matt Toshack, Jim Dymock
Subs: Russell Bawden, Gareth Dean, Sylvain Houles, Ritchie Barnett
Tries: Toshack, Marshall
Goals: Sykes (3)
Sin Bin: Marshall (27 min)
The Bulls had lost their previous two games to St Helens and Castleford and conceded 94 points as well as losing their seat at the head of the table.
However, they ensured that they were back on track going into the final three matches with a good win, which dents the Broncos' Play-Off hopes.
London had entered Sunday sat in sixth place, but wins for Castleford and Widnes means that they drop to a point below the Tigers and are level on 25 points with the Vikings.
They had more than held their own during the first period of this match, scoring two tries to one to lead 12-10 on 25 minutes.
Paul Deacon kicked Bradford into an early lead with a penalty before Richard Marshall touched down on 10 minutes after being the first to a high, bouncing ball, with former Bulls full back Paul Sykes converting.
Leon Pryce had been given the nod to start at stand off ahead of Robbie Paul, and he repaid Brian Noble's faith by weaving over on 17 minutes, with a Deacon conversion and another penalty opening up a 10-6 advantage.
But Mat Toshack restored London's lead on 24 minutes, following Nathan McAvoy's error, Sykes again goaling.
Marshall's sin-binning on 27 minutes for holding down helped the Bulls to move clear going into half time, with Pryce racing in for a second while London were a man short, after Bradford had won a scrum against the head.
Michael Withers then powered in from ten yards two minutes before the break to create a 20-12 advantage.
Paul Sykes' penalty cut the gap on 50 minutes, and Richie Barnett's introduction from the bench had given hope that the Broncos could repeat their win over the Bulls at Griffin Park early in the season.
But, when James Lowes dived in from dummy half when Tevita Vaikona was stopped short, the Bulls ensured that their slide would be ended.
Nathan McAvoy was the next to cross, interception Tony Martin's pass and racing 50 yards to touch down, Deacon adding his sixth goal, with one more to follow from three late tries.
Withers and McAvoy added their second tries of the evening in the 70th and 73rd minutes, and Vaikona sealed the win late on with his 18th of the season.
That keeps him one behind Super League leader and Broncos scrum half Dennis Moran, who saw his run of scoring in seven successive games ended in the defeat.