Rugby

Salford City Reds bounced back from two heavy defeats to end the Bradford Bulls’ recent surge up the table with a comfortable victory at Odsal.

The City Reds had conceded a combined 96 points in their previous two games against Leeds Rhinos and Catalan Dragons, but showed no lack of confidence as they put the Bulls to the sword in a torrid first half for the hosts.

They scored six tries before the interval to go in leading 30-6.

Bradford failed to reproduce the form that had led to them turning around a bad start to the season by winning three of the previous four games, although they partially contributed to their own downfall through poor finishing. 

Salford made the better start of the two teams occupying seventh and eighth place in the table at kick-off and went ahead after nine minutes.

Daniel Holdsworth’s long missed pass found winger Josh Veivers, who managed to reach out and ground the ball despite the attention of opposite number Karl Pryce. However, Holdsworth was unable to add the touchline conversion.

Brett Kearney crossed after a deft runaround move with back-after-suspension half-back Jarrod Sammut, the former Crusaders RL stand-off adding the extras to briefly edge the home side in front.

But a Holdsworth kick rebounded kindly off a Bradford player for Joel Moon, just back from a troublesome hand injury, to gather and score. Holdsworth this time found the target with his kick and the visitors were on their way.

The Reds went further ahead when Stephen Wild broke clear and Luke Patten was on hand to take the pass around full-back Kearney.

Heath L’Estrange almost got the Bulls back into the game – his break being taken on by Elliott Whitehead, but Tom Burgess’ subsequent pass went astray and the chance had gone.

Pryce also crossed in the corner, but the supply pass was ruled forward as Bradford struggled to finish their chances.

L’Estrange created a half break for Burgess, who again off-loaded erroneously, this time into the arms of Moon; the centre then ran 60 metres to the line for his second score of the game.

Ashley Gibson took advantage of a fortuitous bounce as Holdsworth’s diagonal kick reared over a wrong-footed Jason Crookes just before half-time and Matty Ashurst added Salford’s sixth try on the hooter to put the Reds almost out of sight.

Whitehead gave Bradford some hope with a try six minutes after the restart, but Gareth Owen finished off another long-range break started by Ashurst at the other end to quickly quench the home side’s fire.

Bryn Hargreaves grabbed another consolation try for the hosts, and Holdsworth slotted two late penalties for the Reds, bringing his final goal tally to five, just to make sure - the margin of victory leapfrogging the visitors above the Bulls in the table.