Rugby

REPORT

David Howell claimed two second-half tries as Harlequins RL moved back into the engage Super League play-off places with a 22-14 hard-fought win at Bradford Bulls.

Howell, returning from a three-match ban, crossed twice in the final 15 minutes at the Grattan Stadium - after the Bulls had taken a 14-10 lead.

Matt Gafa and Ryan Esders were also on the scoresheet as Brian McDermott's men ended a damaging run of six successive defeats and left the Bulls well out of the play-off race.

Bradford had twice led after an early Semi Tadulala effort and later tries from Paul Sykes and Chris Nero. But they were unable to maintain the momentum.

Harlequins had the game's first chance when Howell, back after his horror tackle on Wigan Warriors’ Sam Tomkins, found space on the right but passed straight into touch.

After that it was the Bulls who dominated the early exchanges, and reward came as Tadulala pounced on a Sykes kick for the opening try after eight minutes.

Intensity was lacking, and Quins were unable to make the most of their possession.

One good chance opened up for Danny Orr after some inventive play by Will Sharp. But the former Wigan half-back, deputising at hooker for the injured Chad Randall, dropped the pass.

There were few more genuine try-scoring opportunities until Quins took charge of the game with two touchdowns around the half-hour mark.

Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook was stopped just short of the line, but Orr quickly sent the ball wide for Howell to set up Gafa.

Esders, currently on loan from Hull KR, then followed him over moments later from a Luke Gale pass.

Orr converted to give the visitors a 10-4 lead to take into the interval, although Nero almost reached a Dave Halley kick to reply immediately for the Bulls.

Halley looked like scoring himself within a minute of the restart, after breaking from halfway, but Chris Melling got back to tackle in the corner.

Former Harlequins forward Michael Worrincy was then held up over the line as the Bulls pressed forward again, but a chance was lost as Luke Dorn gathered a loose ball.

Pressure eventually told as Terry Newton created the gap for Sykes to run through and score, and Paul Deacon's conversion levelled the scores.

The Bulls reclaimed the lead just after the hour as Sykes broke from inside his own half; Deacon took up the attack, and Nero then raced over in the corner.

It was an advantage that did not last long as Quins produced their best move of the second half, and Dorn's inside pass sent Howell over.

Orr nailed a conversion from the left to give the Londoners a two-point lead.

The Bulls almost hit back as Halley was held over the line but the visitors secured the game after Sharp claimed a Deacon kick and quickly turned defence into attack.

Melling caught the Bulls flat as he sprinted 80 metres from in front of his own posts and then found Howell in support to touch down.

Orr failed to convert but wrapped up the win with a penalty in the final minute.

POST-MATCH COMMENTS

Harlequins coach Brian McDermott admitted relief after his side finally got their engage Super League play-off bid back on track after six straight defeats.

When asked if he was relieved, McDermott said: "Yes, and not just because we had lost the last six."

"It was a tight game and that was one you would have been relived to win anyway, and not just because of the last six weeks."

McDermott claimed he never doubted his players' quality throughout their losing streak, which included heavy losses to Leeds, Wigan, Catalans Dragons and St Helens.

"It has been a bit of an odd review in the last six weeks," he said. "We haven't been too down on what we have been producing."

"I have found it hard to stand in front of the players and say, 'You've done this wrong, that wrong and you're not up to it'.

"I couldn't do that because it would have been a lie."

"But there were things we haven't been doing well and we've been missing some men.

"This keeps things rolling a little bit but we have still got five games to go."

McDermott praised the performance of Howell in his first match back after a three-game ban for a high tackle on Wigan's Sam Tomkins.

"He felt like he had let people down after what he did against Wigan," he said. "I suppose I was holding him back."

"I told him not to go too crazy out there because he has been chomping at the bit. He had a big influence for us."

Bradford twice led after an early Semi Tadulala effort and later tries from Paul Sykes and Chris Nero. Matt Gafa and Ryan Esders also got the scoresheet for Quins while Danny Orr kicked three goals.

Bulls coach Steve McNamara said: "I'm disappointed we haven't got the result."

"I thought it was a tough game. Both teams fought very hard but there wasn't a great deal created by either side."

"Once we got ourselves in front we were probably in a position where we could push on with it but we did not quite manage to do that."

The Bulls are now seven points outside the play-offs with just five games remaining.

McNamara added: "That is way out of our control now. All we can do is stay mentally strong as a group, stay together right until the end and try win our remaining five games."