SEVEN HEAVEN FOR THE BULLS IN KNIGHTS THRILLER

Bradford Bulls ran in seven tries to return to winning ways courtesy of a 36-28 win over the in-form York Knights at Bartercard Odsal yesterday afternoon.

The Bulls nearly scored off the opening set when Liam Tindall raced onto a Jordan Lilley grubber but the Knights scrambled well to halt his attack. 

It wasn’t long before Eamon O’Carroll’s side would take the lead however. Bradford kept the ball alive well on the last and Max Lehmann grubbered past his opposite man, collecting and scoring his first home try. 

Despite Bradford’s early onslaught, the Knights scored a quickfire double to head into the lead. 

Brad Ward scored in the left corner despite suspicions of a forward pass, Connor Bailey then powered his way over from close range despite attention from the Bulls defence. 

The Bulls were not deterred and swiftly set about restoring their advantage, Tyran Ott’s kick through was superbly finished by Jayden Myers on his return to the side. 

Bradford’s kicking game came to the fore again soon after with Lilley kicking through for Kieran Gill to score his first of the contest. 

His second came before the break, in atypical fashion, diving under two York defenders from dummy half. 

The home side started the second half in the same vein they ended the first and Keven Appo went on a rampage before finding John Davies on his outside for Bradford’s fifth try. 

Eribe Doro, who was voted the Man of the Match by the Big Match Sponsor, EM Workwear & Embroidery, capped off a typically industrious display with a powerful effort from close range. 

The Knights then set up a nervy final few minutes for the Bulls as a quickfire trio of tries got them within two points. 

Sam Cook grabbed two tries in quick succession before a break on the left edge sent Jimmy Keinhorst over. 

But the Bulls had the final say in proceedings, when a break by Jordan Lilley led the Bulls into York territory. 

And with the visiting defence scrambling to get back, Zac Fulton stepped and wrestled his way to the whitewash to seal the spoils and a return to winning ways. 

BRADFORD BULLS: Tom Holmes, Max Lehmann, Jayden Myers, Kieran Gill, Liam Tindall, Tyran Ott, Jordan Lilley, Logan Bayliss, Mitch Souter, Eribe Doro, John Davies, Zac Fulton, Sam Hallas. INTERCHANGES: Franklin Pele, Eliot Peposhi, Keven Appo, Harvey Makin. 18^th Man: Nathan Mason. 

TRIES: Lehmann, Myers, Gill (2), Davies, Doro, Fulton

GOALS: Lilley 4/7