WHITEHAVEN MATCH REPORT

A strong second-half showing secured a 36-18 win over Whitehaven RLFC at the Ortus Rec yesterday.

Eamon O’Carroll was able to name Daniel Smith and Jorge Taufua in his starting line up following their respective injuries. 

Sam Hallas was named as 18^th man after his injury lay-off but was drafted onto the interchange bench following the withdrawal of Chester Butler in the warm up. 

In the driving Cumbrian rain, both sides battled for the ascendency early on and it would be the home side to break the deadlock. 

Joey Romeo collected a kick inside his own in-goal area before breaking to the 30 metre line, where Jake Maizen was in support and the Haven full-back was too quick for the Bradford chasers. 

That 6-0 lead became 12 before the half hour mark, when a kick to the corner fortuitously ricocheted off the head of a Bradford man, into the hands of Connor Holliday to score. 

The Bulls would get on the scoreboard prior to the break through a typically opportunistic effort from Mitch Souter. 

The visitors emerged from the dressing rooms and quickly began building pressure on the home side. 

That pressure eventually told when Lee Gaskell’s chip was palmed backwards by Lilley into his hands and he dived over for his first try of the season. 

On the following set, Gaskell kicked a 40/20 that laid the platform for a slick move on the left edge which sent Jorge Taufua racing in to score. 

Haven winger Edene Gebbie was sent to the sin bin for a late shot on Kieran Gill during the assist.

Soon after, Gill was in the thick of the action once again, this time pouncing on a neat Gaskell kick to score in the left corner. 

The Bulls then saw themselves reduced to 12 men with Fenton Rogers sent to the sin bin for a high shot. 

That didn’t stop Bradford’s attacking intent however, with nice interplay on the right edge seeing Jayden Myers put through a gap to score. 

Having collected the short restart, Whitehaven would reduce the arrears despite suspicions of a knock on in the build up but the Bulls were soon back posting points. 

With Tom Holmes caught high, Jordan Lilley kicked his 6^th goal of the afternoon to nudge us further ahead. 

And then with the hooter imminent, Lilley’s looping ball sent Taufua over for his second try to seal a fourth win in five matches to move two points from 2^nd. 

BRADFORD BULLS: Tom Holmes, Jayden Okunbor, Jayden Myers, Kieran Gill, Jorge Taufua, Lee Gaskell, Jordan Lilley, Daniel Smith, Mitch Souter, Jordan Baldwinson, John Davies, Zac Fulton, Keven Appo. INTERCHANGES: Tyran Ott, Ebon Scurr, Fenton Rogers, Sam Hallas. 

TRIES: Taufua (2), Gill, Myers, Gaskell, Souter

GOALS: Lilley 6/7