BULLS GO BACK TO BACK

Bradford Bulls made it back-to-back wins with a 30-26 victory over a spirited Swinton Lions yesterday afternoon.

A cagey opening quarter saw a sole Bradford try trouble the scoring ledger, with Brandon Pickersgill diving over before Ross Oakes’ effort soon after.

Swinton hit back however with a quickfire double – Luis Roberts and Ben Heyes both scoring prior to half-time.

After a sustained period of pressure on the Swinton line, George Flanagan went over for two tries in as many minutes in typical George Flanagan fashion.

Roberts got his second of the match prior to David Foggin-Johnston’s try – but the Lions set up a tense final few minutes with Rhodri Lloyd and Martyn Ridyard efforts, ultimately in vain.

John Kear welcomed back Matty Dawson-Jones following a five-month lay off with injury – whilst also handing a debut to Bradley Ho.

The deadlock was broken on 17 minutes when a lovely last tackle play created an overload on left for Pickersgill to breeze through and dive over.

Pickersgill was involved in Bradford’s next score too, in a move started and finished by Oakes.

The centre fired a pass out to Dee Foggin-Johnston, who fed the supporting Pickersgill – whose pass was collected brilliantly by Oakes for the game’s second score.

Swinton battled back into proceedings when Luis Roberts was adjudged to have grounded a Ridyard kick.

The Lions narrowed the deficit soon after when Ben Heyes raced clear from 90metres having pounced on a loose ball.

The start of the second half resembled the first, with neither side able to break the deadlock.

Up stepped Flanagan, not once, but twice.

His first effort saw him wriggle his way past two Swinton defenders to touch down with an outstretched arm underneath the posts. 

His second, an outrageous dummy which fooled everyone – before diving over for his fourth try in the last two games. 

A looping pass out wide sent Roberts over for his second with the visitors threatening a comeback. 

Kear’s side looked to have distinguished any Swinton hopes of a result when Foggin-Johnston took a cut out ball from Pickersgill for Bradford’s fifth try of the afternoon. 

The visitors would refuse to lie down however, and late tries from Lloyd and Ridyard set up a nervy final few minutes. 

But Bradford managed to hold on for a second straight win to hold onto fourth place in the league ladder.

BRADFORD BULLS: Brandon Pickersgill, Matty Dawson-Jones, Rhys Evans, Ross Oakes, David Foggin-Johnston, Joe Brown, Jordan Lilley, Ant Walker, Thomas Doyle, Ben Evans, Adam Rooks, Aaron Murphy, Sam Hallas. INTERCHANGES: George Flanagan, Bradley Ho, Brad England, Dan Fleming. 

TRIES: Pickersgill, Oakes, Flanagan (2), Foggin-Johnston

GOALS: Lilley 5/5

SWINTON LIONS: Geronimo Doyle, Ben Heyes, Michael Butt, Rhodri Lloyd, Luis Roberts, Martyn Ridyard, Jack Hansen, Sam Brooks, Luke Waterworth, Lewis Hatton, Nick Gregson, Mitch Cox, Louis Brogan. INTERCHANGES: Cobi Green, Billy Brickhill, Paddy Jones, Ronan Michael.

TRIES: Roberts (2), Heyes, Lloyd, Ridyard

GOALS: Hansen (0/1), Gregson (1/1), Ridyard (2/3)