BULLS END PRE-SEASON WITH HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER KNIGHTS

BRADFORD Bulls rounded off their 2020 pre-season schedule with a hard-fought 6-4 win over Betfred Championship rivals York City Knights!

A tight opening quarter saw neither side break the deadlock in difficult conditions – with Bradford enjoying the stronger start of the two. 

As York looked to be finishing the stronger, David Foggin-Johnston was on the end of a break by Ross Oakes to register the first points of the afternoon.

Despite nine changes at the break, a youthful Bradford Bulls outfit continued to match their more experienced opponents with both defences still holding firm. York did break through on 67 minutes when Elliot Wallis touched down out wide before the visitors ended up being reduced to 11 men following a fracas near the Bradford line. 

John Kear named a 29-man squad for his side’s final pre-season outing ahead of the 2020 campaign – with the likes of Vytas Vaznys and Elliot Culling named for their first run-outs of the new year.

Bradford enjoyed a strong start to proceedings and enjoying plenty of possession in the York half but last season’s third-placed outfit stood firm defensively. 

The visitors threatened towards the end of the half before Oakes’ interception led the platform for the game’s first score.

He read a York attack on the right edge, racing clear 60 metres before assisting the supporting Foggin-Johnston to open the scoring.

John Kear made nine changes at the interval – introducing the likes of Ryan Leadbeater, Billy Jowitt and Matthew Race to the action.

The Young Bulls continued to hold firm despite York’s experience as the game went on into the closing stages.

The visitors – on the back of a spell of pressure – spread the ball out wide for Wallis to finish in acrobatic style despite the best efforts of the Bradford defence.

Connor Robinson and Ben Johnston were then both given their marching orders by referee Liam Staveley as their frustrations grew with a resilient Bradford defence.

Then bad light stopped play to bring an end to proceedings seven minutes early – rounding off the 2020 pre-season schedule with a win for Kear’s side.

BRADFORD BULLS: Brandon Pickersgill, Greg Johnson, Joe Brown, Ross Oakes, David Foggin-Johnston, Rowan Milnes, Jordan Lilley, Josh Bowden, Thomas Doyle, Steve Crossley, Adam Rooks, Brad Gallagher, Liam Kirk. INTERCHANGES: Levy Nzoungou, Bradley Ho, Harry Shackleton, Sam Smith, Ryan Leadbeater, Ryan Butterworth, Billy Jowitt, Cobi Green, Matthew Race, Keelan Foster, Cameron Berry, Ebon Scurr, Evan Hodgson, Alix Stephenson, Elliot Culling, Vytas Vaznys.

TRIES: Foggin-Johnston

GOALS: Lilley 1/1