BULLS FALL TO NARROW DEFEAT

Bradford Bulls saw their three match winning run come to an end in a narrow 16-8 defeat against League Leaders' Featherstone Rovers yesterday.

The Bulls went into the clash looking to consolidate third position and build on an impressive recent run, but the visitors had their eyes on sealing the League Leaders' Shield. 

Bradford enjoyed the better of the opening ten minutes, but lost Fenton Rogers to a failed HIA early doors and Featherstone capitalised soon after, with Cameron Smith crashing over from close range. 

The home side held firm and battled back into proceedings and got on the scoreboard themselves on 25 minutes. 

Lee Gaskell's perfectly weighted chip was collected by the on rushing Jayden Myers, who spun past Kheirallah for his fourth try of the season. 

That was all she wrote in a tight first half but the visitors came out with intent in the second, pinning the Bulls inside their own half.

An error on halfway then gave Featherstone a scrum from which Gareth Gale raced down the left flank as a set move opened the Bulls up. 

But like in the first, Bradford, roared on by a magnificent crowd, came back to within two points with the returning Brad England crashing through a gap to score on the right edge. 

Soon after, it looked like the Bulls had taken the lead when Joe Arundel went over, only to be ruled he was held up and hadn't grounded the ball.

That proved to be a huge moment in the contest as on the following set, Leilua broke to send Aekins over to seal the points for the Rovers.

BRADFORD BULLS: Tom Holmes, Jayden Myers, Joe Arundel, Kieran Gill, David Foggin-Johnston, Lee Gaskell, Jordan Lilley, Michael Lawrence, George Flanagan Snr, Fenton Rogers, AJ Wallace, Brad England, Jason Baitieri. INTERCHANGES: Billy Jowitt, Ebon Scurr, Eribe Doro, Keven Appo. 18th MAN: Masi Matongo.

TRIES: Myers, England