RESERVES RALLY TO SEE OFF HULL FC

Bradford Bulls Reserves produced a superb opening round display to see off Hull FC 24-20 at Horsfall Stadium last night.

The match couldn’t have got off to a better start – when Finley Balback’s kick off caused all sorts of havoc in the Hull FC defence and Sam Ackroyd was quick to pounce and dot down the loose ball. 

The visitors still hadn’t had a touch of the ball when Harvey Duckworth grounded a grubber from Ackroyd to extend Bradford’s advantage. 

Hull FC did get on the board as a shift play on the left edge sent Joe Ward diving over. 

But back came the Bulls and Balback showed superb footwork to dance past two FC defenders to re-establish the home side’s advantage. 

A set play from a scrum then sent Lewis Hagan over, with the centre running a great line to storm past his opposite number.

Elliot Middlemas leapt to claim a high kick and score in the left corner in the final scoring act of the first half. 

The Bulls started the second half in the same vein they begun the first, albeit ever so slightly slower! 

Just three minutes into the half, some lovely linking play between hands sent Waldimar Matahwa over for an acrobatic finish in the right corner. 

Middlemas grabbed his second to reduce the deficit to ten before Lloyd Kemp got the visitors within one try to set up a tense final ten minutes.

But the Young Bulls, who were impacted by a number of injuries, bravely hung on to claim a superb victory in Round One! 

BRADFORD BULLS RESERVES: George Rayner, Waldimar Matahwa, Harvey Duckworth, Lewis Hagan, Joel Rice, Finley Balback, Sam Ackroyd, Cameron Bate, Tyran Ott, Jacob Bateman, Eliot Peposhi, Sam Leyson, Harry Gray. INTERCHANGES: Jamie Gill, Lewis Owens, George McKinley, Conlan Mawson. 18^th MAN: Will Eyre 

TRIES: Ackroyd, Duckworth, Balback, Hagan, Matahwa

GOALS: Balback 2/5