REPORT
Martin Gleeson and Amos Roberts touched down late on as Wigan Warriors killed off a Bradford Bulls fightback to maintain their engage Super League play-off challenge.
The right-wing pair both crossed in the final six minutes at the Grattan Stadium after the Bulls had hit back from 12-0 down to take the lead.
James Donaldson’s first Bradford try and another effort from Chris Nero had threatened to revive the Bulls’ fading top-eight hopes but Wigan’s late surge condemned them to a fifth straight loss.
The Warriors held a slender 6-0 advantage after a pedestrian first half which began in heavy rain.
Both sides had early chances with Bradford first going close as Paul Deacon sent Michael Platt through only for covering defenders to force him to lose the ball diving for the line.
The Bulls then had a let-off as a Thomas Leuluai kick bounced nicely for Cameron Phelps between the posts but Nero just managed to force it dead.
Joel Tomkins then found his way to the line for the Warriors but Bradford just managed to prevent him grounding the ball.
Yet the elder Tomkins was not to be denied for long as his brother Sam darted through a gap in the Bulls line and sent him in under the posts after 23 minutes.
Pat Richards further rewarded Wigan for a sustained spell of pressure by converting but the Bulls were unfortunate not to at least be level by the break.
Deacon was denied by a fine Gleeson tackle whilst Dave Halley had an effort contrivertially disallowed for a forward pass and Jamie Langley was adjudge to have failed to reach a kick from his scrum-half.
Paul Sykes almost found his way through early in the second half but was hauled down by Leuluai.
Their efforts came to nothing and Richards put Wigan further ahead as he collected a Leuluai bullet pass to cross out wide. The winger also added a simple goal after being allowed to narrow the angle significantly.
Bradford at last managed to find a way through to get back into contention as 17-year-old loose forward Donaldson, making his second Bulls appearance, burrowed over from close range.
That try rejuvenated the Bulls and full-back Halley was stopped short just moments later.
The hosts then stepped up the pressure and Halley found more space to set up Nero in the corner and, with Deacon’s conversions, the scores were level.
Wigan seemed unable to regain the initiative and with 11 minutes remaining conceded a penalty which Deacon slotted to give his side the lead for the first time.
The Warriors rallied at the last and Gleeson, returning after a three-game absence, put the visitors back in front from a Joel Tomkins pass.
The former St Helens and Warrington centre then turned provider to set up Roberts in the corner in the closing moments.
POST-MATCH COMMENT
Bradford coach Steve McNamara claimed wins and not the play-offs were his only priority after his side suffered a fifth successive engage Super League loss on Sunday.
The defeat has left them 12th in the table with just seven games remaining and when asked about their play-off prospects, McNamara said: "I'm not interested in any of that at this moment in time."
"I'm just interested in picking the side up and making sure we get some wins between now and the end of the season."
"We need to focus on that."
McNamara added: "I thought we had a slow start but and we certainly had to defend well, but once we got through that period we improved throughout the game in extremely difficult conditions for both sides."
"I thought we played them very well for a large period - until we got our noses in front and threw the game away."
"We managed to fight our way in front and we should have held on."
Wigan appear to be heading in the opposite direction after winning for the fourth time in succession since a shock loss at Celtic Crusaders last month.
Coach Brian Noble said: "It was a good win considering what Bradford tried to do in the second half, they were a real handful."
"It shows the composure of the team, because they weren't giving it to us."
"We didn't get any ball in their half until the last eight minutes but we stuck in there and won another arm wrestle."
"That can only stand us in good stead for the end of the year."
"We just found enough at the right times. It can be a tough game because Bradford will probably feel they deserved to get something out of the game."
Bradford Bulls Stats
Team
Michael Platt, Rikki Sheriffe, Paul Sykes, Chris Nero, Paul Deacon, Sam Burgess, Terry Newton, Andy Lynch, Steve Menzies, Jamie Langley, Wayne Godwin, Matt Cook, Michael Worrincy, Nick Scruton, Dave Halley, Elliott Whitehead, James Donaldson,
Tries
Chris Nero(1) James Donaldson(1)
Goal Attempts
Paul Deacon(3)
Goals
Paul Deacon(3)
Drop Goals
Wigan Warriors Stats
Team
Phelps, Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont, Richards, S. Tomkins, Leuluai, Coley, Riddell, Prescott, Hansen, Bailey, J. Tomkins.
Subs: Fielden, Paleaaesina, Goulding, Mossop.
Tries
A Roberts 1, M Gleeson 1, P Richards 1, J Tomkins 1,
Goals
P Richards (2 from 4)